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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Chairman of Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, on Saturday announced the suspension of the party’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Muhammad Bagana and other members of the BoT.
Dantalle told journalists in Abuja, during a press conference in Abuja, at the weekend, that the party’s constitution empowers him to take such action if they are found wanting in their responsibilities.
Dantalle confirmed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party endorsed the decision at the emergency meeting held in Abuja, on Saturday, adding that his administration got a vote of confidence from the NEC and other organs of the party.
He stated the NEC-in-session agreed to put on hold the conduct of state congresses till after the 2023 general elections, citing paucity of funds and inability of the BoT members that have the responsibilities of marketing the party and sourcing for fund for the party.
But in swift reaction, the “suspended” BoT Chairman, Muhammad Bagana, disagreed with the position of APM national chairman that the party doesn’t have funds to conduct state congresses and carry out other activities as required of the party.
He insisted that Dantalle has decided to run the party as his personal property, not minding the interest and concerns of other party members.
Bagana, specifically, accused the party Chairman, Dantalle, of embezzling party’s funds running into several millions of Naira without recourse to party constitution nor other members/organs of the party.
He said: “For instance, we got several millions of Naira from Ogun state during the 2019 elections and afte; we equally got funds from Anambra state during the last election, as well from other individuals who desired to use the platform of the party, but the national chairman kept telling us there’s no money to run the affairs of the party.
“There’s a particular Ogun lawmaker who won election on our platform in 2019. He paid N6.3 million to the party when he wanted to defect to APC, but Dantalle denied and claimed that it was N2 million that he paid.
“Before the 2019 election, he single-handedly announced the endorsement of the President, Muhammadu Buhari, and even went ahead to visit the President without any member of the party. He, perhaps, hired people unknown to the party to join him in that visit. Up till now, he never disclosed what transpired at the meeting with the party.
“During Anambra election, one Col Geoffrey indicated interest in APM. Dantalle asked the him to pay N1 million for expression of interest form into the party’s account and diverted N17 million nomination form. The money was paid into his personal account.
“In addition to that, he asked one Chief Aballa Paul Okechukwu, to pay N1.5 million into his personal account for a service the man wanted from the party, among several other financial dealings that he has done and continued doing using the name of the party.
“The States’ chairmen were, sometimes ago, asked to pay N200, 000 each, and the money has not been accounted for. Before that, he was arrested for being in possession of firearm, among several other criminal acts that are being investigated by the DSS.”
Bagana, therefore, asked Dantalle to step aside as the party’s chairman to allow for proper investigation into the financial records of the party, and to allow the opportunity to reposition the party ahead of 2023 election.
