Two hundred
and fifty-two special advisers and special assistants appointed by the Governor
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration have resigned their positions.
The affected
aides said their resignations were informed by the recent decision of the
Sokoto State governor to dump the All Progressives Congress, the party which
they are bona fide members of in the state.
They stated
that their resolve to remain in APC would not allow them to function in their
respective positions under Tambuwal’s government.
Addressing
journalists on Sunday in Sokoto, the spokesman for the SAs, Dasuki Haske, also
said their decisions were hinged on their loyalty to the party.
“We deem it
fit to state categorically that we are not ready to join Governor Tambuwal in
his new party. That was what informed our decision. We will remain in APC and
there is no going back.
“We are
members of APC before taking up our appointments as SAs and it was based on the
membership values that we were given such positions. Now, we have resigned
because the governor has not performed well since inception to justify our
support for him.
“We want to
assure the public that we will work for the success of APC in the state in the
2019 general elections. We will work for the re-election of President Muhammadu
Buhari and our state party leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko,” Haske
said.
Another
speaker, Abdullahi Ahmad Sokoto, said all the ex-aides would work for the
success of APC in the state.
He added
that the party remained the one to beat in any election.
Also
speaking, a former Special Assistant, Hajia Rabi Tudunwada, alleged that she
and other aides of the governor were called and compelled to swear with Holy
Qur’an to secure their promise to defect from APC before they could be paid
their August salary.
Hajia
Tudunwada disclosed that some of them had refused to be part of the oath, which
informed their decision to resign from their respective positions.
She posited
that both PDP and Governor Tambuwal would be rejected in the forthcoming general
elections by the electorate.
Responding,
the state APC chairman, Isah Achida, thanked the affected Special Advisers and
Assistants for their loyalty to the party.
He also
promised them rewards for their “steadfastness and commitment to the party.”
“We thank
you for being loyal to the party and we are assuring you of equal treatment as
loyal party members.
“We have
taken cognizance of your loyalty and commitment,” Achida stated.
Reacting to
the mass resignation by some of the governor’s aides, the Director-General,
Media and Publicity, Abubakar Shekara, said that the resignation was of no
effect to Tambuwal’s administration.
He said,
“Their resignation was a reaction to their sacking conveyed to them earlier in
the day, which made them rush to the press.
“They had
earlier stormed the cabinet office, demanding for their August salaries, which
were being sorted out.
“Their
appointments were terminated to enable them to get involved in partisan
politics without ethical or moral dilemma.”
Comments