The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe, on Wednesday commended the state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, for appointing 716 party members into various political offices.
In a statement issued in Damaturu by state secretary of APC, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, the party said the appointments had provided the beneficiaries, source of livelihood and sense of belonging.
“The party expresses its profound gratitude to the governor for appointing party members as Liaison officers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants from the 17 local government areas of the state.
“We are urging the appointees to be steadfast in discharging their duties and also contribute to good governance and development of the state,” it said.
The party also reacted to criticisms faulting its expulsion of Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), from the party, arguing that Article 21 B sub-section (iv) of the party constitution empowered the State Executive Committee to take punitive measures against erring members.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the party expelled Maihaja last month on the grounds that he instituted legal action against the party without exhausting other available avenues of seeking redress, thereby contravening Article 21A sub section (x) of the constitution which attracted automatic expulsion.
Although the D-G had shunned newsmen on many occasions when confronted for his comment on the issue, some of his supporters in Damaturu had faulted the expulsion order, insisting that the State Executive Committee lacked the powers to take such action.
“For the avoidance of doubt,the expulsion of the D-G from the party remains sacrosanct and still in force,” said the party. (NAN)
MM/YMU/ASH