Three chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State have sued their state chairman, Tukur Danfulani, to a State High Court in Gusau over their suspension.
According to them in a Sunday statement issued in Abuja, the action was “illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.” They therefore, filed a lawsuit on November 14.
The aggrieved officials include; APC Chairman of Shinkafi South Ward, Babangida Shinkafi; Welfare Secretary, Kabiru Ibrahim; and the representative of Persons with Disabilities in the council, Ibrahim Kurya.
Danfulani had suspended the mentioned officials for attending a November 11 stakeholders’ meeting that was organised by the Wamban Shinkafi Democratic Front, a political camp loyal to Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi.
According to the APC, the attendance was an anti-party activity, therefore, it suspended them.
However, the trio argued that their suspension was issued verbally by the Shinkafi Local Government Chairman, Ibrahim Bama, without any formal allegation of wrongdoing or opportunity to defend themselves.
They said; “It is unjust to punish fellow party members for attending a stakeholders’ meeting of the party duly convened for its progress. The purported suspension was issued by the Zamfara State APC Chairman, Tukur Danfulani.
“We shall not be distracted by activities of detractors and reactionary forces that do not mean well for our great party.
“It is in the interest of justice that all parties in the suit should stay action and await the determination of the matter by a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement partly read.
Asking the court to declare them bona fide members of the APC, the trio, in the suit further requested the court to void any attempt to suspend, expel, intimidate, or harass them.
They also sought a perpetual injunction restraining the state chairman or any party official from taking further action against them, as well as an order directing all parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the case.
The officials maintained that they were duly elected in the 2022 party congresses and that their tenure remains valid.
