Nigeria: Former Gubernatorial Candidate In Kaduna Dumps Ruling APC, Accuses Party Of Sidelined Him

By Juliana Katung

Kaduna (Nigeria) – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress For Progressives Change (CPC), in the 2011 elections, in Kaduna State, Haruna Sa’eed, has dumped the ruling party, APC.

Mallam Sa’eed who is one of the founding members of APC, said his decision was based on the present crises in the party which left him with no option than to dump the party.

Sa’eed told newsmen in Kaduna, north west of the country on Thursday, that he was leaving the party with his supporters, regardless of any reconciliation move by the party’s national Secretariat

“I played a vital role in APC as a dominant player but the activities of the party in the state has left so much to be desired. Because of that all efforts that we have made to see that things changed has been in vain.”

‘I Haruna Yunusa Sa’eed ‎have decided today, 15 March 2018, to withdraw my Membership from APC,” his words.

“I happened to be a founding member of the party based on the merger that came into being which led to the formation of the ruling party. A member of the CPC, not only been a member, but a flag bearer of the party in 2011 in Kaduna State.

“Some of us are not being considered as members of the party. Whatever we said seem not to be listened too. Whatever we asked for, is never considered.

“Indeed the party has chosen to look at the members different. Whatever is being done today is only to certain section of the party and a party is not run like that. ‎Party is supposed to be for every member and members have an equal space to contribute.

“Since that is not the case, then I don’t think I should be part of it now, this is why I withdrew from the party today.

“The party in Kaduna had a lot of crisis and there has been no positive move to address the crisis. I have given my contribution on the way forward many times, but never any action taken”.

According to him, it had got to a level where the party couldn’t hold meetings, until it is directed to hold one, and that as chieftain in the party not be seen as significant enough to be invited and he was not even considered to be a stakeholder in Kaduna State.

“I was part of the people that formed this party, up to being to the point of a flag bearer of CPC, but I still not been  considered as a stakeholder. Again , the Party has no leadership in the state which we have been talking over and over again.

“No chairman, no secretary no vital leadership in the state. They refused to meet to see that certain things are done and if anybody voices out anything then the party takes defence” he stressed.

On Tinubu’s committee, he said, “There was lack of regards to them even when other measures are being carried out, no group ever came to Kaduna to speak to Haruna Sa’eed group we have never been consulted because we don’t fight, we don’t abuse, we don’t disparage, we don’t use dirty languages and we don’t ask for things.

“Then it’s believe that we don’t matter and so we don’t belong. So nobody will come to consult us, Mallam Sa’eed noted.

“We are not taken this decision simply to draw attention. If a party worth itself it should be able to identify those members who significantly contributed to the growth of the party”, he said.

On the  lingering crisis, according to him, Tinubu committee cannot make any difference.

Sa’eed did not disclose whether he would  join another party or his next political aspiration.