All is not well in Zamfara APC, Marafa’s faction tells reconciliation panel

The Zamfara faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Kabir Marafa, a former senator, says the panel led by Bisi Akande can only achieve genuine reconciliation if it ignores claims made by Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of the state.

The in-fighting between the factions of Marafa and Yari made the party to lose the state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The supreme court had nullified APC’s congresses in the state and this paved way for Bello Matawalle, PDP candidate, to emerge as Zamfara governor.

On Monday, APC announced that a 12-member committee led by Akande had been set up to address grievances of party members.

In a statement on Wednesday, Surajo Garba Maikatako, factional APC chairman, said Yari’s statements are a threat to the state’s “fragile peace”.

Maikatako said Akande should ignore claims by Yari’s faction that “all is well in the party in the state”, adding that “APC remains divided (two factions) in Zamfara.”

“While we agree that all political parties should be allowed to function without any hindrance, harassment and intimidation as guaranteed by the Constitution, the creation of a parallel Government by some disgruntled politicians, abusing and casting aspersions on our respected judicial officers and the judgement of the supreme court should not be supported by any democrat,” he said.

“There is time for everything, this is time for governance and not politicking. Politics is over but the monthly meeting of Yari’s drowning faction with the sole aim of distracting the state government from governance to politics, making unguarded utterances that threatens the fragile peace achieved in the state, calling on people to revolt against the government, is counter productive and causing more harm than good, it must be discouraged by all.

“Equally untrue is the assertion that APC in Zamfara is now one under one leadership and can win elections in the state anytime. This is far from the truth

“The fact is, APC remains divided. Our faction is back to court, challenging the outcome of the party congresses conducted in 2018 and Yari’s faction can not win election in Zamfara state today.”