• Exercise inconsequential, says Doguwa
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), yesterday, announced an indefinite suspension of the Senator representing Kano South District, Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila for alleged anti-party activities.
It also suspended three members of the House of Representatives from Kano for the same offence.
The affected members are Abdullahi Sani Rogo, a member representing Rogo Federal Constituency; Abdullahi Rurum, representing Rano/Kibiya, and Ali Maadakin Gini, representing Dala Federal Constituency.
The suspension came less than 24 hours after the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, disclosed that NNPP would soon lose a senator and top members of the opposition to his party.
Ganduje spoke on Sunday during the distribution of vehicles and motorcycles to APC stalwarts in Kano, an empowerment initiative sponsored by Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin, in Kano.
He had earlier on Saturday, led party stalwarts to the maiden convocation of Al-Istiqoma University, Sumaila, Kano, a private varsity owned by Senator Kawu. The absence of NNPP members was conspicuous at the ceremony that coincided with the wedding fathia of the senator’s daughter.
NNPP Chairman in Kano, Hashimu Dungurawa, who announced the party’s decision at a press briefing, insisted that the disciplinary action became pertinent owing to the “gross misconduct” of the federal lawmakers.
Dungurawa expressed disappointment that the members, who were considered for complimentary slots after being disgraced out of the APC, could eventually betray the trust of the party.
BUT a factional chairman of the NNPP in Kano, Senator Mas’ud El-Jibril Doguwa, has described the suspension as inconsequential.
Reacting to the exercise, Doguwa argued that Dungurawa lacked the authority to dish out disciplinary action as long as he (Doguwa) remained the authentic NNPP chairman in Kano.
He insisted that the federal lawmakers from Kano were members of NNPP under the fruit basket logo recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Doguwa said the fact that Senator Sumaila and three others were no longer loyal to Kwankwasiyya does not invalidate their party membership.