2023: Crisis rocks Niger APC as party suspends State Chairman, Jikantoro

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State has suspended its state chairman, Alhaji Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, over anti party conduct

This was coming barely seven days after the Presidential and the National Assembly elections.

The Chairman was suspended from the party by the Kashini ward executives of the party in Agwara local government area of the state following accusation of violation and disregard for the constitution of the party.
The party ward executive in a letter of suspension dated March 2nd, 2023, that was signed by the 21 member executive and addresed to Agwara local government chairman of the party, a copy which was made available to newsmen in Minna on Friday, said the chairman was suspended for violating and disregarding the party’s constitution.
The party in the suspension letter equally accused the Chairman of involving himself in act which the party said was capable of undermining the success of the party during the just concluded Presidential and the National Assembly elections in the state.
The Ward Executives further accused the embattled chairman of engaging in anti-party activities during the just concluded Presidential election by secretly working for the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
According to the party, “it is on record that Hon. Haliru Zakeri Jikantoro has been indulging in anti-party activities by canvassing votes for the People Democratic Party for the Presidential and National Assembly elections”.
Hon. Jikantoro is also being accused of refusal to call stakeholders meeting of the Ward and local government, inaddition to his refusal to consult with party stakeholders before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, a pointer to the fact that he was secretly working for the opposition party.
All attempts to get the reactions of the suspended chairman could not yield any results as all his phone lines were switched off. Also the publicity secretary of the party, Mallam Musa Sarkin kaji could not respond to several calls put across to him for his reactions.
The suspension of the party chairman is coming barely one week after the party suspended a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Sani Bello Mustapha AKA Sani Basket, an Uncle to the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello from the party, accusing him of anti-party activities.
The suspended party Chieftain was accused of working and opely campaigning for the Presidential Candiadate of the main opposition party, the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other candidates of the PDP in the state in last Saturday elections.
In a letter of suspension by the APC Central Ward Kontagora and signed by the Ward Chairman and Secretary, Alhaji Hamza Magidad and Alhaji Abdullahi Kira, respectively, they accused Sani Bello Mustafa of anti party activities.
Parts of the four paragraph suspension letter, reads: “Our collective resolution to suspend aforesaid member from the party is due to anti party activities i.e. campaigning against the party which is capable of tarnishing the good image of the party”.