By Ezeocha Nzeh
The former Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari has dismissed allegations by Special Assistant to Governor Muhammad Mutawalle on Inter Governmental Affairs, Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi, that he has ceased to be a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with effect from the last party membership register still exercise
Shinkafi, a former National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who recently defected to the APC, made the allegation on Wednesday in Abuja while declaring his intention s to contest for the position of national chairman at the February 26 APC National Convention
But former Zamfara State governor, in a statement issued Thursday in Abuja by his Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Abdulkarim Tsare said Shinkafi spoke out of ignorance, adding that it was embarrassing that Shinkafi, a new entrant to APC would come to the public space to allege that a two term governor was no longer a member of platform he is seeking to lead as national chairman.
The former governor who described Shinkafi as a hatchet man, who runs errand for Zamfara State governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, further urged the public to disregard what he called misinformation and campaign of calumny
“Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, was in APGA throughout the 16 years period of PDP rule; for that period, he was just a nuisance in APGA because he caused a lot of trouble and I believed the APGA as a party is in a better position to give detailed account of what Sani Shinkafi represent.
“If not, why should anybody explain to the public that someone who was a Governor did not have a membership registration of the party he worked so tirelessly to form, and during that period, Shinkafi was in APGA. It was when Matawalle defected that he Sani cross carpeted to join his pay masters. For the avoidance of doubt, His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari is a party man to the core with the following qualifications at his disposal:He is a registered member of the APC with his membership Card obtained by him.
“His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari has paid his due in the party and a well-known Financier of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He will continue to do his best until the party attain victory.
“His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari, being a tested administrator, is committed to ensure that the party principles are adhered to strictly beginning from how the secretariat will be run. The party will certainly take centre stage.
“With his political dexterity and network, His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari, is committed to deploy these skills to draw influential persons into the party and close ranks with existing leaders within the party for the overall progress of APC. These qualities cannot be denied even by the blind.
“Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi is nothing but a noise maker and nothing more than that. Abdulaziz Yari has done so much to build APC and is still doing more to uplift the All Progressives Congress (APC) to greater heights and would as a matter of fact wouldn’t want to join issues with the likes of Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi who always be directed by his pay masters before he can say anything.
“We urge the Mai Mala-Buni led committee to be more circumspect in its dealings, and should not allow the likes of Sani Shinkafi to come to the Party National Headquarters to make noise, knowing fully well that he is an unserious person considering his antecedents in APGA
