The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has vowed to take action against members causing trouble within the party’s leadership in the state.
In a statement issued in Gusau on Tuesday, Yusuf Idris, the State APC Publicity Secretary, reaffirmed the party’s support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He explained that Alhaji Tukur Danfulani, the current APC leader in the state, was elected under the supervision of INEC through a National Secretariat Congress Committee led by Senator Kabiru Masari, who is also the current Political Adviser to President Tinubu.
The statement expressed concern over “a concoction of lies” attributed to Mansur Khalifa, whom the party described as a non-entity in official APC circles, both in Zamfara and at the National Secretariat in Abuja. Idris clarified that Khalifa, along with Aminu Jaji, had been suspended indefinitely from the party due to alleged disrespect and misconduct. “For the avoidance of doubt, persons like Mansur Khalifa, including Aminu Jaji, were suspended from the party on March 17, 2024,” he said.
Idris also stated that the APC leadership in Zamfara had observed Jaji’s support group’s alleged ties with opposition parties, such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), and suggested they may be on the verge of defecting from APC.
The statement also addressed Ramadan packages distributed by APC leaders, thanking those who supported party members. Idris emphasized the importance of continuing such efforts for the benefit of the party and the people of Zamfara. He noted that key figures such as former governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle had provided substantial support to thousands of beneficiaries in the state with cash, grains, and clothing materials.
Idris further reiterated that Matawalle remains the APC leader in Zamfara State, despite opposition within the party. “They have failed to understand what we have been telling them because of their envy for Matawalle,” he said. He pointed out that the APC constitution clearly designates a sitting governor of the party as the leader of the state chapter. In the absence of a minister from the state, a past governor becomes the leader. “So, Matawalle, both as the immediate past governor and the current minister from Zamfara, is the APC leader. Challenging Matawalle is misconduct and disrespect to the party’s constitutional guidelines,” Idris concluded.
