2023 Polls: Power Play As APC Ward Axes SGF Boss Mustapha

• Alleges non-commitment to Tinubu’s victory
• State chapter reverses suspension, orders investigation 
• Insiders hint of power play post Buhari’s era

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – The defeat suffered in his polling unit at both the presidential and governorship elections may have triggered heavy backlash for Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), within the All Progressives Congress (APC) family in Adamawa State.

And for his perceived nonchalance and lack of activism during the campaigns, Mustapha has incurred the wrath of Gwadabawa Ward in Jimeta, Yola, with the Chairman, Mua’zu Kabiri, slamming an indefinite suspension order on him.

But insiders are already suspecting internal power play and political recalibration by interest groups positioning themselves for the incoming administration post May 29, 2023.

This is as a letter cited by Forefront News indicated that the SGF is being accused of not contributing effectively to the campaigns of APC’s presidential and governorship candidates in the 2023 polls.

According to the Ward Chairman, arising from numerous complaints by members that Mustapha was not committed to APC’s victory during the two elections, the Ward had no option than suspend him for anti-party activities.

The Ward Chairman, who maintained that no individual could be above the party that gave them the platform, presented to the media an official letter he signed accusing the SGF of failing to “make any meaningful contribution to the party during the elections.”

Kabiri lamented that the SGF, who also Chairs the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, lost his polling unit to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the both polls.

Interestingly, Mustapha is among the many prominent APC members that lost their polling units during the governorship and presidential elections. On the list of losers are the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, and the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who served as the Director General of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-APC Presidential Campaign Council.

However, in a swift reaction to the development, the APC State Working Committee, under the leadership of acting Chairman, Samaila Tadawus, declared the announcement as “unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect.”

In condemning actions so far taken by the Ward Executives against the SGF, the Adamawa State chapter of APC said they overreached themselves and have no right to suspend the SGF.

The SWC therefore directed the local government executive committee of Yola North to constitute a disciplinary committee to immediately investigate and recommend appropriate action.

Addressing newsmen on the development, the APC State Secretary, Dr. Raymond Chidama, condemned the penchant of party members who were being sponsored by “opposition elements within the party with malicious intent to attack Elders of the party through actions that flagrantly disregard the Party’s constitution.

“We hereby state clearly that such suspension is unconstitutional, null and void and is of no effect, because the state working committee has warned the ward executives in the past to desist from this acts of targeting elders of the party and disregarding constitutional provisions, appropriate sanctions will be applied after thorough investigations.”

Frowning at the alleged compromise by some party members, being sponsored by opposition elements, Chidama described the SGF’s support and contributions to the APC in the state as second to none.

This is as he condemned the executive of Gwadabawa ward, Yola North, over “the malicious attack on the SGF at this critical time.”

Meanwhile, sources hinted that the reasons for the current power play in Adamawa State may not be unconnected with political actors’ deft moves to effectively position themselves for the incoming Tinubu’s Presidency.

Recalled that the SGF was conspicuously missing from the 422-member campaign team of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, having initially featured prominently among the names that were being touted to become the Party’s Vice Presidential candidate.

While explaining Mustapha’s non-visibility during the campaign, one of the APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, was quoted as saying that the President specifically directed he should be left out of the Council to concentrate on the country’s governance issues while the campaigns lasted.