Kano ACN executive members resign - Vice Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Kano State chapter, Alhaji Abdu Mu'azu Bichi, has resigned from the party alongside three other party's executive members. Their resignation, according to him, was in solidarity for former Sokoto State governor Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa who had earlier announced his resignation from the party last week.
The three other ACN's executive members quitting the party are state treasurer of the party Alhaji Yakubu Rogo, legal adviser Zaharaddeen Mustapha and organization secretary Alhaji Salisu Baba Fagge. They have already forwarded their individual letter of resignation to the state party chairman through their respective ward chairmen.

Explaining some of the reasons for which they quit ACN in a chat with newsmen in Kano yesterday, the party's vice chairman, Alhaji Abdu Mu'azu Bichi, said they left ACN because the party lacks internal democracy at all levels. "We don't have a say in ACN since our entry to make it a formidable opposition political party in Nigeria as only a few at the party's top hierarchy dictate down the ladder," he said.

He said they cannot remain in the party when "our mentor, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, called it a quit," saying their entry into ACN was influenced by Bafarawa who he said had greatly contributed towards making a strong opposition party.

The former vice chairman alleged that the former Sokoto governor was lured into ACN not knowing it was a "regional party", saying Bafarawa spent a lot to build the party in the north.

Bichi also said the party will never be accepted in the north given its performance in last general elections when the party's presidential candidate Malam Nuhu Ribadu was openly rejected in the south west where most of its national leaders hail from.

"And the fact that the party did not make any headway in the north in last general elections clearly shows that ACN is not popular up here and there is no way one can sell the party here because the common opinion in the north is that the party is sectional in ideology," he said.

Auwalu Umar

Daily Trust/23/11/2011