The rift between Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State and Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari, has escalated with the recent quizzing of the governor’s Aide-de-Camp, SP Abdulganiyu Bello, and the Chief Security Officer, DSP Hassan Bello. They were both grilled by the police at the Force headquarters in Abuja.
The development has created a fresh internal crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State, which has intensified after Governor Radda and some of his close associates were excluded from the recently released list of members of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
The ADC and CSO to Gov Radda were invited to Abuja last week for questioning over alleged destruction of billboards that displayed the image of Masari alongside that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Katsina along the Modoji Junction–Katsina Government House Road.
In a chat with one of our correspondents, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Anietie Iniedu, dismissed reports that the duo were arrested or detained.
Iniedu, a Chief Superintendent of Police, explained that they were only invited for an interview, but was silent on the reason for which they were grilled.
“They were invited for an interview. They were not arrested or detained,” the senior police officer simply told Daily Trust.
There are conflicting reports on whether they have been released, as sources say they have yet to be seen in the state since their detention.
Residents say some of the billboards carried large images of President Tinubu and Masari, while the image of the governor was used sparingly.
Others say the billboards carry pictures of the President and other prominent politicians in the state but relegating that of the governor.
Masari is said to be very close to President Tinubu and is believed to be quite influential in the affairs of the APC as it concerns Katsina State.
Masari staood as a placeholder for Tinubu in 2023 while the latter tried to sort out the issue of picking a running mate for the election.
Our correspondent learnt that the Chief of Staff to the Katsina State Government House, Abdulkadir Nasir, was in Abuja in an effort to secure the release of the two officials.
It was further reported that a man identified as Aminu Sanda, popularly known as Aminu Nasta, who was described as a leader of a political group in Katsina, was arrested in connection with the incident.
The development has sparked debate within the state’s political circles, with opposition figures and some APC stakeholders questioning whether the development indicates an emerging rift between the Katsina State chapter of the party and influential members of the party from Katsina who are based in Abuja.
The crisis has led to two major divisions within the party with one group known as the “Katsina APC” and the other, “Katsina/Abuja APC,” in which the former refers largely to APC members based in the state and considered loyal to Governor Radda, while the latter represents Katsina politicians holding influential positions at the federal level.
There have been longstanding allegations that the two groups are not always on the same political page. Governor Radda has spoken publicly about the development, alleging that some forces are working from Abuja to undermine his administration, saying he would expose such individuals when the time is right.
The allegations gained renewed attention following the removal of former Minister of Housing, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who belongs to the governor’s camp, from the Federal Executive Council.
Under Governor Radda, Dangiwa served as the Secretary to the State Government, a position he occupied until his ministerial appointment. He was replaced as minister by Engr Mutaqa Rabe Darma, who is said to be loyal to Masari.
The development has been interpreted by some political observers as a possible indication of growing differences between the governor and some federal political actors from the state in Abuja.
Daily Trust