By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse
The Jigawa State Chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday got new set of party executive with the election of a one time Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Ahmed Muhammad Garba as the new Chairman.
Garba, who is heading the 36-member executive is the incumbent Commissioner for Land and Regional Development. His deputy, Nasiru Aliyu Jahun while the State Secretary of the party went to Uzairu Nadabo, the immediate past Chairman of Maigatari local government council
The election which took place at the Dutse Stadium during the State Congress witnessed a large crowd of party supporters from different parts of the state both elective and appointive, serving and former.
However, there was noticeable absence of some prominent figures of the party at the state and national levels. Prominent names among the absentees included the immediate past Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, the State Of deputy governor Engr. Aminu Usman Gimel the outgoing chairman of the party Alhaji Aminu Sani Gumel and the immediate past Speakers’ of the Assembly Idris Garba Jahun as well as the National Financial Security of the party, Bashir Usman Gumel.
Declaring him the winners alongside other executives, the state APC Congress Chairman, Auwalu Malu, said the newly elected state executives were chosen by consensus.
He expressed his delight about the spirit of consensus among the party supporters in the state which he attributed to the all- inclusive leadership style of the state governor Umar Namadi.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected chairman expressed gratitude to party members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to strengthen unity within the party and consolidate its achievements at the state level.
But he talked tough about the activities of those he alleged, were playing double game within the party noting that while some people claim to members of the APC, they were secretly romancing with other political parties saying that such would not be tolerated under his leadership.
According to him, “We are aware that some of our members also related with the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) we are not going to take that we know them but when the time we will crack down on them, because you cannot be in APC and be in ADC at the same time. You can not be in Lagos and be in Abuja at the same time,”
In his address to the congregation, Namadi charged the new executive to carry out their duties with fairness and justice adding that the absence of the two qualities was a recipe for crisis and disunity within the party.
He, however described the large attendance of signatories to the congress as a sign that the members were ready to ensure the victory for the party at all levels in the forthcoming general elections.
