The Taraba State caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly has rejected the removal of the party’s state chairperson, Ibrahim El‑Sudi, by the State Executive Committee (SEC). In a briefing to journalists at the National Assembly on Monday, caucus members said the removal contravenes the party’s constitution. The SEC “impeached” El‑Sudi after invoking Article 21(d)(vi) of the APC Constitution, accusing the embattled chairman of negligence.
Danjuma Shidi (APC, Taraba), a member of the House of Representatives, spoke on behalf of the lawmakers. He argued that the removal was orchestrated by self‑serving individuals working with outsiders and that the SEC was not properly constituted, noting that no quorum was present when the decision was made. “We see no factual or legal justification for the purported removal of our State Chairman, especially at this critical stage of election preparation,” Shidi said.
He warned that attempts to remove the chairman extra‑constitutionally constitute a calculated effort to sabotage the party’s chances in the 2023 general elections. Referring to Article 21 of the APC Constitution, Shidi said the manner in which El‑Sudi was removed is flawed both substantively and procedurally. “Our party has always championed the sanctity of the APC Constitution (2022 as amended). We must do everything to maintain this sanctity,” he added.
Shidi also alleged that some of those driving the removal are collaborating with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “We want the national leadership of our party and the world to know that the perpetrators of this unholy idea are in deep collusion and are, in fact, sponsored by the PDP state government in Taraba to destabilise the APC,” he claimed.
The APC chapter in Taraba State has been crisis‑ridden for some time. Last week, a five‑member Supreme Court panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere‑Ekun dismissed the party’s governorship candidate, Emmanuel Bwacha. The court upheld a Federal High Court ruling that the APC did not conduct a valid governorship primary in the state. The judgment stemmed from a suit filed by David Kente, one of the aspirants who contested Bwacha for the party’s ticket. Bwacha represents Taraba South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
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