Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has asked the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to desist from arrogating the power of a national chairman to himself, saying Governor Mai Mala Buni did not wield such authority.
He said Buni, who is also the Governor of Yobe State, is a mere chairman of a committee whose constitution “is illegal and alien to the constitution of the party.”
He spoke against the backdrop of threat by the party to expel him over utterances which questioned the committee’s actions and activities.
Marafa had recently threatened legal action against Buni and members of the committee over alleged violation of the party’s constitution.
In reaction, the party’s leadership had warned Marafa of dire consequences of such an effrontery from a party member.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, Marafa said: “Expelling me from the party will only aggravate the problem.
“It will herald the beginning of the agitation; rule of law must be respected.
“Rather than the expulsion threat, the committee or the chairman should respond to issues I raised.”
He said the function of the Mai Mala committee is to plan a convention, adding, “just as its name implies, Mai Mala is the chairman of the APC convention planning committee and not APC itself.”
He further said: “Section 17 (4) of the constitution of our beloved party, says ‘no officer in any organ of the party shall hold executive position office and in government concurrently’.
“Article 20 states the only way the leadership of the party can evolve.
“We will show him the way out dishonourably. We would not allow the party we contributed immensely to develop to be destroyed by over-ambitious self-centred and enemies of the party and the country.
“This is the party we laboured, toiled and laid the foundation for its success.
“We will not allow those who have little or no stake in the party to destroy it or to please certain individuals and achieve their selfish interest.”