As his suspension by executive members of his electoral ward for alleged anti-party activities continues, 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.
It was recalled 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 involvement in anti-party activities embarrassed the party and damaged the legitimacy of their joint attempts to advance the party.
On Wednesday, the 12 other chairmen elected on the APC platform were led by Safiyanu Isa Andaha, the Executive Chairman of Akwanga LGA and the state’s ALGON Chairman, to the party’s headquarters in Lafia, the state capital, to express their support for Aliyu Bello’s continued leadership of the party.
During the visit, Andaha branded the Gayam ward executives’ actions “sad and ugly” and urged the ward’s leadership to immediately send 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 historic 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 continued leadership.
“We have been following a very sad and ugly situation that some few individuals from Gayam ward are trying 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 the party’s viewpoint.
We are 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 since we have witnessed your acceptance of all party members.
We are happy of your accomplishments, and the 147 elected Councillors, 18 Development Area Administrators, and 13 Executive Chairmen fully support your leadership.”
Additionally, Andaha 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 front of the general elections in 2027.
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Aliyu Bello, the chairman of the Nasarawa State APC, responded by thanking the 13 council chairmen for their faith 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 just eight of the 27 executive members of the Gayam Ward had signed the document suspending him, meaning that the process was void because the other 19 members had still expressed their support for his leadership.
Bello stated that he is still the legitimate state chairman of the party, while rejecting any involvement in anti-party actions. He also cautioned that the members of the APC’s executive committee in Gayam Ward have no authority to suspend him from his position as a state executive officer.
He said 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 added that the state executive committee had just voted in favor of him due to his devotion to the party’s expansion and advancement.
“I cannot be suspended by the Gayam Ward executives. When they arrive, their mission is already dead. Desperate, they sought an injunction at a magistrate court, but according to our (APC) constitution, you must first try every internal option before going to court.
“The magistrate eventually revoked the ruling when they tried to embarrass him before the magistrate court.
Your arrival here today is therefore appropriate. Since certain people are attempting to coerce Governor Abdullahi Sule into surrender for their own self-serving political ends, you have come here not only to identify with me but also with him. We have made the decision that we would follow the governor wherever he travels in the run-up to the 2027 elections,” he continued.
During the 13 local government chairmen’s solidarity visit for APC Chairman Dr. Aliyu Bello, it was reported that the State’s party executives were in attendance.
