New APC Faction Emerged In Northern Nigeria, Describes Governor Policies as Anti-People

By Veronica Bazim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – A new faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) party have emerged in Kaduna State known as ‘True’ All Progressive Congress, and has described the Nasir El-Rufai government of Kaduna state as government running anti-people policies – a continued cause of hardship as well as poverty in the state.

Briefing newsmen recently in Kaduna, the Publicity Secretary of the faction, Murtala Abubakar also decried the highhandedness of El-Rufa’i over the APC administration in the state and deviating from the ideas of change which millions of people yearn and voted for.

They expressed worries over unpaid salaries, irrational dismissals, and termination of appointments as well as other terror tactics that has placed so many under stress.

The group noted that, “We are pained to join the outcry over the anti-people policies of Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i which have continued to produce misery and pauperization. The highhandedness of the Governor which has now created the impression that an APC administration in the state has turned its back against the people …”

“We do not support the strategy of the state government that seeks to extend and compound the sufferings of our people who in the 16 years of the last administration of the PDP in the state and at the national level, were subjected to untold hardships.”

The New APC posited that, members of the party are responsible people who successfully worked hard to remove PDP and put their party in power, adding that, “it is with tremendous reluctance that we make public, issues and grievances that should have otherwise been raise and settled in engagements with those who have the responsibility to address them.”

The group further called on the presidency and the party’s national leadership to disregard any presentation by El-Rufai to influence the appointments of party members from Kaduna State into positions in government and also prevent him from hijacking or crippling the state party.

“This particular demand is informed by the realization that the governor intends to continue to cripple the party by punishing loyalty and commitment while at the same time rewarding lackeys and others who satisfy his needs to amass all control of governance and the party in the state.”

The group said there is no available avenue left and they would fail millions of people who expect the party to operate with requisite standard of responsibility and accommodation if they continue to remain silent.

“The same millions of people who require the state government under our great party to show sensitivity to the feelings of our people in the discharge of its mandate need to know where we stand on the disturbing issue of the clear contempt for decency being exhibited by the state administration.”

Reacting to the group’s allegation, the Kaduna state APC Acting Publicity Secretary, Salisu Wusono, said all policies of the governor are in accordance with the party’s manifestos.

He urged members of the party to remain loyal and not to be deceived by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by distracting the good works of the governor.

Wusono said, “We have only one APC in Kaduna State. The party in Kaduna has leadership and structure.

“We are running the affairs of the party according to the manifestos, constitution and ideology of APC. As far as we are concerned, we worked together with Governor Nasir El-Rufai to make APC alive in Kaduna and removed PDP out of Kaduna state.”