The Kaduna State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has suspended its women leader, Maryam Sulaiman (Mai Rusau), for criticising Governor Uba Sani, who remarked that his predecessor Nasir El-Rufai left a huge debt burden for the state.

APC disclosed this on Sunday in a letter co-signed by the state chairman, Ali Maishago, and secretary, Zakka Bassahuwa. It accused Ms Sulaiman of gross misconduct and defaming Mr Sani’s character.

At a town hall meeting on Saturday, Mr Sani lamented that his administration inherited a huge debt of $587 million, N85 billion, along with 115 contractual liabilities from his predecessor.

Defending the former governor and expressing her dissatisfaction with Mr Sani’s declaration, the women leader asked the governor to resign. She also accused him of betraying Mr El-Rufai, who “ran from pillar to post” to make him become governor despite the debt burden.

“If you say there is no money in Kaduna State, why don’t you resign?” Ms Sulaiman said in a video on social media. “It is a clear case of betrayal. Mallam did everything for Uba to become a senator and later governor.”

She added, “As a senator, Uba Sani is the arrowhead for securing loans by the El-Rufai administration. He was deeply involved in that.”

However, APC said Ms Sulaiman’s action violated Article 21.2 (v) of the party’s constitution. It added that the women leader’s suspension followed the Badarawa/Malali Ward executive committee deliberations. 

The statement read, “The Badarawa/Malali Ward APC Executive Committee, after due deliberations and careful examinations on the viral video clip released on 30th March 2024 via social networks, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Tiktok which is against the constitution of our dear party APC, as stated in article 21.2 (v).

“In view of the above, below are the gross misconducts where the subsequent suspension relied upon:

“Deformation (sic) 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.

“Furthermore, from today, Sunday, 31st of March, 2024, the leadership of APC Badarawa/Malali Ward unanimously resolved to suspend Hajiya Maryam Suleiman (Mai Rusau) from the Party pending further investigation on the matter from the constituted authority.”

On Saturday evening, the governor and his predecessor’s son, Bashir El-Rufai, also traded words on social media over the depleted resources in the state’s treasury, validating rumours that Mr Sani and his predecessor’s feud had further deepened.

Mr El-Rufai had backed Mr Sani to clinch the party’s ticket in the 2023 election. However, the relationship appeared sour after Mr Sani kicked against the ministerial nomination of Jafaru Sani, whose name was submitted by his predecessor, Mr El-Rufai.