Zamfara APC faction expels ex-governor Yari, another expels Marafa

Two factions of Zamfara All Progressives Congress escalated their civil war on Monday with cross-expulsion of prominent members, as the party sought to hang someone for its electoral debacle in which it was stripped by the Supreme court of all elective posts it won in the last elections.

A faction of the party expelled former governor Abdulaziz Yari and the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the party, Lawal Shuaibu, blaming them for scuttling the party’s chances in the state.

Shuaibu, who recently called for Oshiomhole’s resignation was expelled for conniving with Yari to sabotage the National Working Committee of the party during the stalemated primary Elections.

The decision to expel the former governor and the Deputy National Chairman was taken at the end of an emergency meeting held in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.

Simultaneously, another faction of the party expelled Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa for anti-party activities.

Marafa, who represents Zamfara Central in the outgoing Senate, got a Sokoto Appeal court order that disqualified the APC candidates from contesting elections. The Supreme Court validated the verdict and made APC to lose all posts.

Others expelled along with him are Aminu Sani Jaji and Mal Ibrahim Wakkala Liman.

In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Shehu Isah, and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, the decision followed the activation of the provisions of Article 21 (A) ii and (D) V which spells out the punishment for members who violate the APC constitutional provisions and engaged in acts inimical to the interest of the party.

The faction that expelled Yari and Shuaibu said the action was taken sequel to the electoral misfortune, “Yari and his co-travellers exposed the party to in Zamfara state.”

The statement was signed by the factional chairman of the party, Alhaji Surajo Garba Mai Katako and the Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Bello Bakyasuwa.

The party recalled how “the former governor frustrated its efforts to conduct primaries last year, thus laying the foundation for the electoral misfortune that befell it in the state.”

The statement made available to reporters in Abuja said: “After reviewing the outing of our party in the last general election and the outcome of the Supreme Court Judgement, we hereby dismiss the former governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari and the Deputy National Chairman Sen Lawali Shuaibu from the APC.

“ Following this development, we are urging them to immediately surrender all the belongings of the party in their possession including funds.

“ Yari and his boys scuttled the efforts of our national headquarters to conduct primaries on the 3rd and 7th of October 2018. His nefarious activities led to the death of six persons and over 200 others were injured.”

The party said the expulsion would be communicated to its national headquarters for appropriate action on Thursday after the Sallah break.