A WEEK to the 2023 general elections, the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa State on Friday, took another dimension as the governorship candidate of the party, Aisha Dahiru Ahmed popularly called Binani, was suspended by the APC Yola South Local Govt Executive Committee for allegedly ‘causing division, factionalisation and instigating crises’ in the party.
The suspension was disclosed in a letter by the APC Committee exclusively obtained by News Point Nigeria, Friday.
The letter dated 17th February, titled: Resolution Of The Local Government Executive Committee Of Yola South Against Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed (APC Governorship Candidate), reads in part:
“We the members of the Local Government Executive Committee and the undersigned at the meeting held at the Local Government Party Secretariat In Yola on the 17th February, 2023, have received and reviewed the petition against Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (APC Governorship Candidate), the invitation letter, and the recommendation of the disciplinary committee for her failure to appear and defend herself on the allegations as per the petition by Auwal Hammanadama Bawuro.
“Consequently, upon the above the executive Committee have unanimously resolved to suspend Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed from the party and she is by this, suspended for the period of six (6) months commencing from today 17th February, 2023, from the APC.”
News Point Nigeria gathered that, the suspension came after the committee received a petition against Aisha Binani by a chieftain of the party, Auwal Bawuro for causing division, factionalisation and instigating crises within the members of the party.
The petition, titled; Petition Against Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani (Adamawa APC Governorship Candidate) For Causing Division, Factionalisation And Instigating Crises Among The Members Of The APC In Yola South Local Govt Area, dated 30th January, 2023, also reads in part:
“I wish to write and complain against the above name as follows:
1 That I am a card carrying member of the APC with membership number: AD/YLA/21/02040 and hails from Bako Ward of Yola South LGA.
2 That since the emergence of Senator Aisha Dahiru as the APC Governorship flagbearer, she has been involved in creating disunity among members of the party by division in regards to party activities, where she deliberately sidelined most of the active members in all party affairs which has caused APC to lose many of its members to the opposition PDP as well as making the members to loose hope and confidence in the party because of her bias, tribalistic, ethnic and political godfatherism that is against the party constitution”.
News Point Nigeria gathered that, upon receipt of the petition, the chairman of the Yola South APC and the secretary wrote an invitation letter to Aisha Binani dated, February 2nd, 2023, to appear before the Executive Committee to defend herself on the allegations, but the APC Guber Candidate ignored the invitation.
The invitation letter jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of her party in Yola South, tittled; Invitation To Answer Allegations Against Your Person, reads:
“…You are hereby given 7 days from this day 2nd February, 2023, to appear before the committee on 9th February, 2023 by 11:00am at the party office, Yola South.”
Speaking on the matter, a constitutional lawyer, Barrister Madu Inuwa Ibrahim said, this could cause Binani her seat if she emerges victorious, the opposition can challenge the legitimacy of her candidacy to contest because the party chairman of her local govt has the power to suspend her for ‘doing wrong’.
All efforts by News Point Nigeria to reach the APC guber candidate or her media team for a response proved abortive, as numerous calls and text messages were not replied.
