Since his suspension by executive members of his electoral ward for alleged anti-party activities is still in effect, the Nasarawa State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has stated its support for Dr. Aliyu Bello, the Nasarawa State Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Recall that Ibrahim Iliyasu, the APC chairman in Gayam Ward of the state’s Lafia Local Government Area, had announced Aliyu Bello’s suspension on behalf of other executives, arguing that his alleged anti-party activities embarrassed the party and damaged the legitimacy of their joint attempts to advance the party.
Safiyanu Isa Andaha, the Executive Chairman of Akwanga LGA and the state’s ALGON Chairman, led the 12 other chairmen chosen on the APC platform to the party’s headquarters in Lafia, the state capital, on Wednesday to express their support for Aliyu Bello’s continued leadership of the party.
Andaha branded the Gayam ward executives’ actions “sad and ugly” during the visit and urged the ward’s leadership to immediately write an apology letter to the state’s APC chairman in order to maintain the party’s unity and advancement.
The state’s ALGON chairman vowed not to let desperate politicians ruin the party’s decades-long achievements while announcing the unwavering support of the state’s 18 Administrators of Development Areas, 147 Ward Councillors, and 13 LG Chairmen for Aliyu Bello’s continuation.
“We’ve been monitoring a very sad and ugly situation where a few people from Gayam ward are attempting to suspend our chairman,” he said. A man who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, a man who is devoted to the party, and a man who has altered this party’s viewpoint.
We’re here today, chairman, to inform you that the APC in Nasarawa State has made great strides under your direction. We will not support your expulsion from the party because we have witnessed your acceptance of all party members.
“We are proud of your accomplishments, and the 147 elected Councillors, 18 Development Area Administrators, and 13 Executive Chairmen fully support your leadership.”
Andaha also took use of the occasion to urge all APC members and supporters in the state’s 13 LGAs to stay united and prevent desperate politicians from using them to sow division within the party in the run-up to the general elections in 2027.
In response, Aliyu Bello, the chairman of the Nasarawa State APC, thanked the 13 council chairmen for their trust in him to continue leading the party in spite of the present conflict with some of the members of his ward’s executive committee.
He clarified that the process was deemed illegitimate since only eight of the 27 executive members of the Gayam Ward had signed the document suspending him, while the remaining 19 members had persisted in expressing their support for his leadership.
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Bello asserted that he is still the legitimate state chairman of the party while denying any involvement in anti-party actions. He also cautioned that the APC executive committee members in Gayam Ward have no authority to suspend him from his position as a state executive officer.
He asserted that the executive members of the APC in Gayam Ward could not decide on his appointment as chairman; only the state executive committee, the highest decision-making body, could.
He also said that the state executive committee had just voted in favor of him due to his dedication and commitment to the party’s expansion.
“The officials of Gayam Ward have no authority to suspend me. Upon arrival, their objective is doomed. They sought an injunction in a magistrate court out of desperation, but according to our (APC) constitution, you must first try every internal option before going to court.
The magistrate eventually revoked the injunction when they tried to embarrass him in the magistrate court.
Therefore, it’s appropriate that you came here today. Because certain people are attempting to frighten Governor Abdullahi Sule into submission for their own self-serving political goals, you have come here not only to identify with me but also with him. We have made the decision to follow the governor wherever he travels in the run-up to the 2027 elections,” he continued.
The 13 local government chairmen for APC Chairman Dr. Aliyu Bello were said to have visited in solidarity with the state’s party officials.
