‘Failed civilian coup’ — Taraba APC reps kick against removal of state party chair

The All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the house of representatives from Taraba state have kicked against the removal of Tukur El-Sudi, the party’s chairperson in the state.

On Saturday, the APC state executive committee (SEC) in Taraba passed a vote of no confidence on El-Suldi and removed him from his position.

The SEC members said they removed the chairperson because of his “failure to discharge his responsibilities, as well as neglect and dereliction of duty and misconduct”. 

But briefing journalists on Monday in Abuja, the APC lawmakers said El-Sudi’s removal did not follow due process.

The lawmakers said the Taraba APC chair was removed by a “skewed and self-serving section of the state executive committee not properly constituted and without a quorum”.

While describing El-Sudi’s removal as illegal, the legislators said the SEC members did not consult the state caucus in line with Article 12.9 of the APC constitution before taking the decision.

“As the ruling political party at the national level and the governing majority of the States in Nigeria, the party cannot afford to appear like a huge joke by allowing some skewed and self-serving people to purport to have removed the party chairman in a way and manner at variance with the party constitution,” Danjuma Shiddi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said.

“This charade can at best be described as a failed civilian coup sponsored by enemies of the party. Such travesty of law must not be allowed to fester.

“We do not see any justification in fact and none at least backed by law for the purported removal from office of our state chairman, especially at this very critical stage of preparation for elections.

“Such calls and attempts in some quarters purportedly to have extra-constitutionally removed the state chairman is a calculated attempt to sabotage the party’s efforts at winning the 2023 general polls in the state at all levels.

“In the light of Article 21 of the APC constitution, the way and manner El-Sudi was purportedly removed is constitutionally flawed in substance and procedure. It is instructive and pertinent to note that our party has championed the sanctity of the APC constitution (2022 as amended). We must therefore do everything to maintain this sanctity.”

The lawmakers said those who removed El-Sudi from office are working for the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) to frustrate the APC’s chances of winning elections in the state.

“We want the national leadership of our party and world to know that the perpetrators of this unholy idea are in deep romance and in fact sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party state government in Taraba to destabilise the APC,” Shiddi said.

The legislators asked the national leadership of the APC to “immediately” intervene in the matter and ensure that members respect the party constitution.