Senator Kabiru Marafa has described the threat by the All Progressive Congress (APC) Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to expel him from the party for expressing reservations on the legality of the committee and its activities as empty threats.
Marafa stated that the party should return to the rule of law or face being extinct in the nation’s political circle.
Marafa who represented the Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the last assembly, had on Sunday, threatened to institute legal action against the chairman of the national caretaker committee of the APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, over the violation of the party’s constitution in the conduct of party affairs.
The caretaker committee, through its secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudodehe, had on Monday, warned Marafa to submit to party supremacy or be sanctioned.
But reacting to the threat, Marafa in a statement on Wednesday explained that he cannot be silenced by the threat of the caretaker committee.
He further explained, “Expelling me from the party will only aggravate the problem. It will herald the beginning of the agitation; rule of law must be respected.”
He added that the committee is illegal and alien to the constitution of the party, stressing that the party is building everything on nothing.
Rather than the expulsion threat, he observed that the committee or the chairman should respond to issues he raised.
Senator Marafa stated that the function of the Mai Mala committee is to plan a convention just as its name implies, adding that Mai Mala is the chairman of the APC convention planning committee and not APC itself.
He explained, “Section 17 (4) of the constitution of our beloved party, says ‘no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position office in government concurrently’. Article 20 states the only way the leadership of the party can evolve.”
He explained that they would show him the way out dishonourably, stressing that they would not allow the party they contributed immensely to develop to be destroyed by over-ambitious self-centered and enemies of the party and the country.
He said that this is the party they laboured, toiled and laid the foundation for its success.
He assured that they would not allow those who have little or no stake in the party to destroy it or to please certain individuals and achieve their selfish interests.
