From Esther Akaa, Lafia
A group under the aegis of Lafia Intelligent and Strategies Political Group, has exonerated the Nasarawa State Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Aliyu Bello, from the accusation that he was planning to defect to the newly formed New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Bello was accused in a petition to the state southern zonal chairman of the party that he was planning to defect to NNPP if Ahmad Wadada was not given the APC Nasarawa West Senatorial ticket for the 2023 election.
The petitioners also alleged that the APC state secretary, had threatened to remove the names of any delegates that refuse to vote Ahmad Wadada during the forthcoming party primary election, among other accusations.
But reacting to the allegation, the Chairman, Lafia Intelligent and Strategies Political Group, Adamu Awe said it was laughable to imagine that Bello would contemplate leaving the party he has built to another party that is non-existent in the state.
Awe stated this while briefing journalists immediately after an emergency meeting held with stakeholders on Thursday, noting that the state APC secretary was not even from the Nasarawa West Senatorial District where the senatorial aspirant hails from, therefore, does not have a voting right during the primary election.
He said: “We will ordinarily not join issue with the petition written on the 19th April, 2022 by the so called ‘Concerned APC Supporters in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State’ sponsored by agents of destruction hiding under the canopy of our great party.
“However, in view of the fact that we are in an election season, where people’s hard earned integrity and reputation are caused to be damaged by idle minded people like the signatories of the said letter, we chose to react to avoid members of our party from being misled by those who are not comfortable with Hon. Aliyu Bello as the APC shining star in Nasarawa State.
“They have forgotten so soon that the said Hon. Ahmad Aliyu Wadada contested for Governorship Primary Election for 2019 General Election under our great Party, the APC. And when Almighty God gave victory to our beloved Governor, Engr. A. A. Sule, Hon. Wadada did not leave our great party to any other political party at the time opposition party have some voices and followership in the State. Rather, the said Hon. Wadada championed the campaign that gave victory to our party during the election as the Director General, A.A. Sule Campaign Organisation.”
The chairman said that the allegations against the APC secretary, were not only baseless, unfounded but were only meant to tarnish and destroy the reputation of a patriotic and untiring secretary to score political gains.
He, therefore, urged the state APC secretary to disregard the allegations and urged the petitioners to refrain from attacking the state revered and respected party secretary.