“El-Rufai took risks to remove Shehu Sani from 9th senate to make way for Uba Sani” — Kaduna APC suspended women leader

Hajia Maryam Suleiman, the suspended women leader of the APC in Kaduna state, has strongly criticized Governor Uba Sani, accusing him of being disloyal to his predecessor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Suleiman, who is popularly called Mai Rusau, was until her suspension, the APC Women Leader in Badarawa/Mailali Ward.

Hajia Maryam Suleiman in a viral video recounted how in 2019, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai made numerous trips, nearly 500 times, to the APC headquarters in Abuja to lobby party leaders and ensure that Uba Sani would become the representative of the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly.

Hajia Maryam, speaking in Hausa, highlighted how El-Rufai put up a strong fight and took risks to remove former Senator Shehu Sani in order to pave the way for Uba Sani, who was seen as a loyal candidate at that time.

The outburst earned Suleiman a suspension from the party, according to a letter dated 31 March 2024.

The letter, signed by the Ward Chairman, Ali Maishago and Secretary, Saka Bassahuwa, accused Suleiman of gross misconduct for criticizing Governor Uba Sani.

Parts of the letter read: “The Badarawa/Mailali Ward APC Executive Committee after due deliberations and careful examination on the viral video clip released on 30th March, 2024 via Social Media network: Facebook, Watshapp, and Tiktok which is against the constitution of our dear party, APC as stated in Article 21.2(v).

“Subsequently, the party relied on defamation of character of his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Uba Sani.

“Unauthorised Publicity of the party dispute that discredited the personality of the Executive Governor of Kaduna State.

“From today, Sunday 31st March, the leadership of APC in Badarawa/Malali Ward unanimously resolved to suspend Hajiya Maryam Suleiman from the party pending further investigation on the matter from the constituted authority.”

Shehu Sani, the former senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, recently shared how he encountered obstacles when he tried to make a comeback to the 9th Senate.

He mentioned that the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, played a role in preventing his return.

In line with your previous message, Shehu Sani stated that El-Rufai prevented his return to the Senate because he obstructed Sani’s access to a $350 million World Bank loan which occurred during Sani’s tenure as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

Shehu Sani insisted that he took the action in the interest of the people of Kaduna State, as the debt hanging on the state was more than revenue accruing to the state at the time.

He said: “As Senate Committee Chairman on Local and Foreign Debts in the 8th Senate, I did block El-Rufai from accessing the sum of $350 million loan after I have analysed critically the huge debt that was hanging on the state at the time.

“I did that out of genuine interest for the state and not out of malice, but it became an offence El-Rufai used against me.”