By G9ija
The Action Democratic Party’s national leadership has stepped in to nullify the suspension of its governorship candidate, Sani Sha’aban, by the embattled acting chairman of the party in Kaduna State, Umar Isah.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the party’s National Secretary, Victor Fingesi, the suspension was deemed illegal, null and void since Isah was suspended from the party and did not have the authority to carry out such an action.
Fingesi also condemned Isah’s press conference where he announced Sha’aban’s suspension, insisting that it was an unauthorized move.
The party therefore reaffirmed Sha’aban as its bonafide candidate for the March 18 governorship election in Kaduna State, and urged everyone to rally behind him for victory.
The statement reads in part, “The attention of the National Secretariat of the Action Democratic Party has been drawn to the text of an illegal press conference addressed by the suspended Kaduna State Chairman of ADP, Hon. Umar Isah, wherein he lied that the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Hon. Sani Mahmud Shaaban, is suspended from the party.
“Hon. Sani Mahmud Shaaban who emerged as the ADP Kaduna State gubernatorial standard bearer at a duly constituted congress in line with the provision of the 2022 Electoral Act remains the ADP gubernatorial candidate for the March 18 governorship election in Kaduna State.
“The people of Kaduna State and supporters of our great party are therefore urged to discountenance and disregard Hon. Umar Isah’s ill-conceived unauthorised press conference in its entirety.”
Also, in a letter addressed to the suspended acting Chairman, the ADP reiterated that “You (Umar Isah) are no longer the chairman of the party in Kaduna State vide the letter dated 8th March, 2023. Hon. Sani Mahmud Shaaban is the bonafide ADP governorship candidate in Kaduna State.
“The National Secretariat of the party was utterly astonished reading the text of your press conference quoted above.
“The National Secretariat of the party was utterly astonished reading the text of your press conference quoted above.
“The party’s national office has always availed you opportunity to present your queries yet you went berserk and acted as if you are an emperor, arrogating unto yourself the power to even sack the party’s governorship candidate.
“You are advised to, in your own interest, comply with the directives of your letter of suspension and desist from further progressing in the course you have chosen.You must hand over all the party possessions with you to the acting chairman immediately,” it added.