TheCable

Kabir Marafa, a former senator representing Zamfara central, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will “go extinct” if it does not work in line with the rule of law.

Marafa had earlier expressed reservations about the way the Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee handled the congress in Zamfara state.

In a statement on Wednesday, Marafa said Buni, governor of Yobe, is acting in violation of the party’s constitution by holding the position of the chairman of the APC national caretaker committee.

The former senator said Buni should be in charge of planning a national convention and not holding sway as chairman of the APC.

“Expelling me from the party will only aggravate the problem, it will herald the beginning of the agitation. The rule of law must be respected,” he said.

“The committee is illegal and alien to the constitution of the party. We are building everything on nothing. Rather than the expulsion threat, the committee or the chairman should respond to issues I raised.

“Section 17(4) of the constitution of our beloved party, says ‘no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position in government concurrently’. Article 20 states the only way the leadership of the party can evolve.

“This is the situation we find ourselves in. The chairman of APC today is an overzealous chairman of the convention planning committee only and a sitting governor.

“APC is a political party not a committee. Committees are created to serve a specific function, not to usurp the powers of the entire legal entity. The function of the Mai Mala Buni committee is to plan a convention just as its name implies. Mai Mala is the chairman of the APC convention planning committee and not APC itself.

“This is the party we laboured, toiled and laid the foundation for its success. We will not allow those who have little or no stake in the party to destroy it or to please certain individuals and achieve their selfish interest.”

Meanwhile, John Akpanudoedehe, national secretary of the APC caretaker committee, said he would not descend to the level of Marafa.

“We are not abusive to any member of our party. We are too mature to go into personal response. Our interest is in the general public and then the party,” Akpanudoedehe said.

“We are not going to go back and forth with anybody. Any information that is given out, we are duty bound to respond by stating the fact as it is. I will not descend to the level where Marafa talks, I reply, I’m not going to do that.