Ganduje tasked to wade into crisis in Kano APC

THE majority leader of House of Representatives, Hon Al-Hassan Doguwa, has called on the Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Gabduje, to as a matter of urgency intervene in the infighting rocking the party, because if not resolved, it may pose a serious threat to the party’s victory ahead of 2023 general election

This is just as Doguwa refuted an allegation that he attacked and injured the Kano State deputy governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) Dr Murtala Sule Garo, with broken glass cup at a meeting held on Monday night in the state capital. 

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at his residence in Kano, the majority leader representing Doguwa\Tunduwada Federal constituency, threw more light on the confrontation between him and Garo.

“I am a  law-abiding citizen, a lawmaker of 32 years experience at the National Assembly. The  allegation of injuring our state deputy governor is nothing but fake news aimed at denting my personal reputation and dignity.”

Narrating the previous incident that occurred between himself and Garo, he disclosed that it was true on that fateful day that he was at a meeting being held by some notable members of the party but he was not invited to attend.

According to him, the incumbent deputy governor, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Abbas Abdullahi, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and other personalities of the APC were in attendance at the party.

He disclosed that he was truly not invited to the meeting at Gawuna’s residence, but was only there to meet with the party’s chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.

“I met them holding a meeting and when I saw the calibre of people at the meeting, I ‘jokingly’ enquired why the National Assembly caucus was not represented,” to which he said Garo asked him whether he must be invited to every meeting.

Doguwa said he felt slighted by this because he felt his standing as the party’s NEC member and a member of the national caucus aside from being a majority leader of the green chamber should naturally qualify him to be in attendance.

” I was upset and felt denigrated and while complaining, Garo jumped at me and started insulting me but I initially only told him ‘thank you.’ But while I was calling the deputy governor and party chairman’s attention to the insults, he continued and even attempted to grab my cloth. It was then I lost my cool and returned his insults,” he said.

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While commenting on the tea cup and the injury, Doguwa said the cup fell while Garo was shaking the table and he (Garo) slipped on the tea that spilt from the cup and that was how he injured himself.

“I did not injure Murtala. I did not fight him. But I exchanged unpleasant words with him and then my brother Aruwa moved me out of the place. The news that is going round (portraying me as the aggressor) is fake and unfounded,” he added.

He said he remained committed to the APC as always and would continue to respect the constituted authority of the party, but urged the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to as a matter of urgency step into the crisis before it spirals out of control and cost the party in 2023.

“We are facing an unprecedented opposition,” he said referring to the growing strength of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and other parties in the state and country at large.

According to him, there is a need for the incumbent governor Dr Ganduje to quickly intervene so as to resolve the prevailing crisis facing the party. He noted that it was as a result of the way and manner some politicians arrogate undue powers to themselves that caused several elected members of the party to dump the party 

All efforts made to get a reaction from the deputy governorship candidate of the party were not successful as of the time of filing this report, as calls made to his mobile number were not picked.