Yari’s loyalists no longer APC members —Gusau, spokesman for Mattawale’s camp

Alhaji Yusuf Idris Gusau, the publicity secretary of All progressives Congress (APC), Zamfara State chapter, led by incumbent Governor Bello Mohammed Mattawale spoke with ATTAHIRU AHMED on the crisis in the party in the state.

 

For about three years or so, it has been a back-and-forth situation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) crisis in Zamfara State. Why the unhealthy trend?        

As far as we are concerned, there is no row in the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The party has remained one and united family with its structures, the state governor, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle is the leader as affirmed by the national headquarters of the party under the distinguished caretaker chairmanship of His Excellency, the Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Bun. The authentic leaders of the party in the state have received Certificates of Return.  The chairman of the APC in the state, Honourable Tukur Umar Danfulani in now included in the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. This would not have been so if there was any row like it happened in Kano and Sokoto states, which are being amicably addressed.

 

Most observers are curious that the APC crisis in the state has not in any way abated despite several peace efforts from within and outside the state chapter. What are the major grey areas in dispute? 

As I said, there are no rows, hence there is no grey area except you wished to create one. These questions are only being reframed but they are the same. We don’t have camps. Some of our (former) members tried to form splinter groups but they are no longer full members because they have not revalidated their membership as directed by the national leadership. So, for them to claim anything in the APC now, they have to be revalidated from their wards like we all did.

 

All the aggrieved camps ought to be talking about pursuing a course that would culminate into an amicable resolution. Why is it still difficult for you to reach a compromise?

At the moment, the leadership is meeting, consulting and thanking our major stakeholders to ensure that the party remains one and speaks with one voice for the benefit of our state and our people. Thus, the APC, I assure you, will continue to wax stronger even in the long run both at the state and national levels. The state APC leadership has received the full support, good wishes and prayers of its founding fathers within and outside the state right from its inauguration and that having been leveraging on these benevolence, the leadership has smoothly been recording successes in running the affairs of the party in the State.

 

But, what are the immediate and long-term implications of the crisis for the APC?      

The leadership of the Caretaker Chairman of the Extra-ordinary Convention Committee and Yobe State governor, Honourable Mai Mala Buni has been wonderful. This is a person, who was able to bring four serving governors and their followers from other political parties to the APC. If it were possible for people like me, I would love to see him continue in such capacity; I am sure he will bring more members into the fold.