Deputy governorship candidate for the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Muttaqa Rabe-Darma, as well as the state party chairman, Sani Liti, and other top officials have all been fired by the party’s Katsina State branch.
The NNPP’s director of media and publicity, Nasiru Usman-Kankia, made this disclosure on Friday in Katsina when he briefed reporters on the party’s decision.
He said that they were fired for engaging in anti-party actions, such as endorsing Dr. Dikko Radda, an APC candidate, on Thursday.
He said to the reporters; “As you are already aware, a section of the state executive leadership of the party convened an unauthorized meeting on Thursday, March 9, the decision of which almost rocked the party.
“An emergency exco meeting comprising 19 out of 29 members was conveyed to discuss the immediate and remote causes of the illegal meeting.
“Facts have emerged that the illegal meeting was unconstitutionally convened without the consent of the state executive committee.
“It was also discovered that even when invitations were sent for the illegal meeting to state and local government exco members and ward chairmen, they were informed that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss and disburse funds for the settlement of polling unit agents and ward coordinators.
“However, at the illegal meeting, the APC gubernatorial candidate was ushered in and the NNPP state chairman, Liti, the party’s governorship running mate, Rabe-Darma, and other top executives introduced other members present as decamped to the APC.
“Almost immediately, the entire arena turned chaotic with shouts of NNPP slogans and chants of no, no, no, by the party’s loyalists,” Usman-Kankia narrated.
He said that Dr. Radda, the APC candidate, instantly asserted that the topic of his conversation with the NNPP members was an alliance rather than a defection.
The NNPP spokeswoman recalled that on March 5, the party had cautioned its candidates, officials, and members against creating an alliance with any political party.
In his words; “Accordingly, party officers, members, and candidates at all levels are not authorized to discuss, negotiate or form any alliance with any political party to win the upcoming governorship and legislative polls.
“Anyone who endorses a candidate of another political party will be sanctioned in line with the NNPP Constitution, ranging from suspension to expulsion.
“Our emergency meeting considered and decided to expel the officials and members involved in the illegal forum, subject to the approval of the party’s national executive committee.
“They are state Chairman, Sani Liti; state Secretary, Umar Jibril; youth leader, Mustapha Basheer; Katsina zonal Chairman, Dauda Kurfi; Funtua Zonal Chairman, Abdulhadi Mai-Dawa; Daura zonal Chairman, Dr. Sale Mashi; deputy governorship candidate, Rabe-Darma and Sen. Audu Yandoma,” according to Usman-Kankia.