By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Labour party (LP), Kaduna state executive council has suspended three frontline members of its party for taking sides with Limidi Apapa led faction of the party executive which it described as illegal and counterfeit.
Those suspended includes the 2023 deputy governorship candidate Hon. Bashir Idris Aliyu, Senatorial candidates zone 1 Alh. Ibrahim Sidi Bamali and Senatorial candidate zone 3 Engr. Michael Ayuba Auta respectively and other members who attended the Bauchi meeting of Apapa led faction of the LP.
The suspension was handed down at the end of an emergency meeting of the state executive council (SEC), held on Sunday 6th May 2023, according to the party’s resolution signed by the spokesman of the party, Idris Yusuf in Kaduna State.
Kaduna LP executive also dissociated themselves from what it termed “The illegal and counterfeit group of the Labour Party led by one Lamidi Apapa”
The party also resolved that for the records, the Chairman of the LP in Kaduna state remains Hon. Auwal Tafoki, adding that any other person parading himself in that position is blatantly committing impersonation and may face the wrath of the law.
“All identified card-carrying members of the LP who were part of the so-called NEC meeting that took place in Bauchi, Bauchi state Wednesday, 3rd, May 2022 hereby stand suspended from the party.
“Among those identified and affected by this decision includes Hon. Bashir Idris Aliyu, Alh. Ibrahim Sidi Bamali, Engr Michael Ayuba Auta respectively.
“These three stand suspended and this decision will be forwarded to the National Working Committee of the Labour Party and other relevant bodies for further actions.
“We call on our members and the general public to disregard anyone or group parading himself or themselves as State officials of the Labour Party in Kaduna state outside the duly constituted and recognized state Exco led by Hon Auwal Tafoki”, it stated.
According to the meeting’s resolution, Kaduna state Labour Party is committed to ensuring that the party remained united and “becomes the most formidable political platform in the state and in Nigeria that will produce visionary and transformational leaders that will take the country to greater height.
Earlier, it stated that “Following the sudden emergence of a renegade faction in the Labour Party led by one Lamidi Apapa, our great Party is being assaulted by agents of destabilisation and commotion.
“But, as much as they have tried, it is clear that the vast majority of our party members and, indeed, the millions of our party supporters are watching the shameful drama carried out by these enemies of democracy with disdain.
“The public should note that the entire drama of indignity going on is being sponsored by an electoral bandit whose main aim is to use a fake Labour Party NWC to scuttle the weighty petition 1 Obi tabled before the Presidential Election Tribunal.
“The intention is to create parallel structures at the National level and over the states to lend support to the dirty agenda of scuttling the mandate of Mr Peter Obi and Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed in the 2023 Presidential elections.
“Therefore, we the State Executive Council of the Labour party in Kaduna state, having met today, have unequivocally resolved to the national working committee of the party led by Barrister Julius Abure.
“We hereby affirm and assert our loyalty, support and commitment to the National Working Committee of our great Party led by our lawfully recognised National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure.
“Consequent upon the above, all appointments and decisions made by the the Apapa group on behalf of great Party remain null and void”, it also resolved.
The exco stated that it therefore cannot be distracted by a “few disgruntled elements whose major aim is to service their greed to the detriment of the party and the country”.
He therefore called on all their members and teeming supporters to remain calm and law abiding even in the face of the unwarranted provocation by divisive agents.
