APC crisis: Marafa, Yari rule out defection to PDP, as factional officials emerge in Zamfara

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Kabiru Marafa has dispelled the rumour making the round that he was on the verge of defecting to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Marafa, who spoke in Gusau maintained that alongside the former governor of Zamfara State, Abdul’aziz Yari, he will remain and salvage the APC.

The APC chieftain, who is at war with Governor Bello Matawalle, described those behind the talks as “wishful thinking of minions.”

Meanwhile, Director of Publicity of the party, Yusuf Idris Gusau, has old The Guardian that contrary to reports in the social media, no parallel congress held in Zamfara State, saying that the clarification became necessary to shed light on happenings outside the APC.

Gusau said the party would have ignored the shenanigans of some disgruntled elements that are intent on giving APC a bad name before they embark on their voyage of discovery to other parties.

‘’However, for the fact that many people within and outside the state are asking and we believe they have the right to know, we decided to put the records straight.

‘You may recall that when the APC recently held its ward and local government congresses under very peaceful atmosphere, a renegade member who goes by Kabiru Marafa deceptively concocted a similar exercise by gathering a few people in Tsafe and allocated positions to them which some media outlets called a parallel congress and by extension, a parallel APC in Zamfara.

‘’Times without number however our party leaders, both at the state and national levels, namely, Governors Bello Mohammed Matawalle and Mai Mala Buni, have urged all leaders and genuine followers of the party to abide by the rule of law both of the party and of the nation and as loyalists, we have been doing just this.

‘’Suffice to say therefore that anyone who does not recognize the leadership of the party at any level, especially at the state level which governor Matawalle and the national level with Mai Mala Buni as leader, is not recognized and cannot be seen or addressed as responsible,’’ he stated.

The party’s spokesman disclosed that yesterday morning ‘’Marafa gathered some persons just as the party was arranging for its state congress and still appointed some agents of destruction.

‘’We have received intelligence that Marafa attempted to lure other members particularly from his locality purporting that he wants to be governor in 2023.’’

Gusau challenged Marafa to show his structure and offices to back up his claims of parallel APC in Zamfara State.

There were reports in the social media that Yari and Marafa had joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the intervention of a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Reacting, Marafa said, “We are senior engineers and architects in the project team that designed, built and maintained APC from inception to date.

“This is the wishful thinking of the minions parading themselves as the new owners of APC today. We are not going to leave the complex work in the hands of those who were labourers, masons, plumbers and carpenters in the design and construction days, No way! We are not going anywhere.”

Thousands of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) belonging to the camp of Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, from across the 14 local government areas of Zamfara State, participated in the congress, which produced, Alhaji Surajo Garba Maikatako, as the state chapter chairman.

Maikatako, thanked the members of the party for the confidence reposed in him, pledging to work hard to take the party to greater heights.

Other members of the State Working Committee (SWC) are Dan Malam Mai Yadi (Vice Chairman), Nasiru Muhammad Gummi (Secretary), Auwalu Garba Alhazzai (Treasurer), Abubakar Gusau (Legal Adviser).

Also elected are Mamuda Gaba (Financial Secretary), Bello Bakyasuwa (Publicity Secretary), Kabiru Rabiu (Auditor), Lauwali Bello Viara (Youth Leader), Hussaini Dan Isha (Welfare Secretary), Nafisa Ahmad (Women Leader) and Abubakar Usman Gora (Organising Secretary).