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From John Adams, Minna
In what appeared to be a major crack in the rank of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger state, the party’s State Working Committee has disassociated itself from a planned rally to galvanize supports for its Presidential and governorship candidates including their running mates slated for New Bussa, Borgu local government area of the state.
A Support Group, 774 had planned a “Grand Lockdown Rally” for the Presidential candidate and his running mate, as well as the governorship candidate and his running mate billed to hold at the New Bussa township stadium on Tuesday January 31 to mobilize supporters for the candidates.
The Chief Whip of the senate, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi, representing Niger North Senatorial District and National Coordinator, Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima, 2023, had through his Special Assistant (operations), Hon. Mohammed Garba Danladi in a letter dated 27/01/2023 and addressed to the state Party Chairman, Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro notified the party of the planned rally.
Senator Sabi in the letter also stated that the State Working Committee of the party are invited to the Grand Lockdown Rally for the Candidates and their running mates on the need to galvanize support and positively enhance of the party at the polls.
Part of the letter reads; I am directed to invite you and your exco to the Grand Lockdown Rally in honor of Jagaban Borgu and Kashim Shettima, our party Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, Hon. Mohammed Bago, with Comrade Yakubu Garba as Gubernatorial and Deputy Governorship Candidates for Niger state in the 2023 General Elections.
“In view of the need to galvanize support and positively enhance the chances of our party in the forthcoming elections, we wish to solicit and count on your unflinching support towards the success of the rally..”
But the State Working Committee of the party in a statement in Minna on Monday by the publicity secretary, Mallam Musa Dan Sarkindaji, a copy which was made available to Daily Sun, said the Chairman of the party, Hon Haliru Zakari Jikantoro has disassociated itself from the rally.
The four paragraph statement, titled “Niger APC Disassociated Herself From Lockdown Rally in Borgu” and signed by the publicity secretary also directed all party faithful not to honour and attend such rally, claiming that the planned rally contravene unified campaign structure as designed by the party.
According to the statement, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State under the leadership of Hon Haliru Zakari Jikantoro has disassociated itself from lockdown rally organized in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government Area of the State.
“The party wishes to draw attention of all party faithfuls not to honour and attend such rally as it contravene with unified campaign structure as designed by the party”.
The Party instead urged its Executives, stakeholders and party loyalists to attend the grand zonal rally which is scheduled for Wednesday 2nd of February, 2023 Bida, headquarters of Bida local government.
However no reason was given for action of the party, but it was gathered that the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who is the leader of the party in the state had instructed the party to stay away from the planned rally, a confirmation of the Cold War between him and the senator, the organizer of the rally.
