By; ACHADU GABRIEL, Kaduna
As the national chairmanship tussle rages on, a group in support of Mrs. Nenadi Usman leadership, under the aegis of Concerned Citizens, have reechoed how the Southern Kaduna Senatorial Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Engr. Michael Ayuba Auta was dragged to court in 2023.
It would be recalled that Engr. Auta, recently criticized the appointment of Mrs. Nanadi Usman as LP national chairman, saying it is unconstitutional.
Engr. Auta, the Jonah K. Gandu-led group said, was dragged before Justice L. Daniel of the Upper Customary Court sitting in Television, Sabon-Tasha, Kaduna, by a 45-year-old artisan, Zacks Henry, for alleged swindling, according to the group reaction statement made available to newsmen on weekend.
Media reports, in some national dailies, dated 16th February 2023, had it that the 45-year-old artisan was asking the court to compel Engr. Auta of LP senatorial candidate to pay him the sum of N850, 000 for rebranding his campaign cars.
According to the Henry, the senatorial candidate had on 19th November, 2022 contracted him to rebrand his campaign cars but has refused to pay for the job done.
He said, for the past four months, “Engr. Michael Auta has been running away, hence the decision to approach the court to ensure the full payment of his money”.
When the matter came up, Justice Dorcas Daniel ordered for a substituted service on Engr. Auta and adjourned the matter to 1st March, 2023 for definite hearing.
Recalled that court had earlier on 18th January, 2023 summoned Engr. Auta to appear before it on 14th February, 2023 to answer the charges levelled against him by Mr. Zacks Henry.
In a similarly circumstances, Engr. Mike Auta, the Kaduna South Senatorial Candidate, and two others were among those declared suspended by the Labour Party’s state executive in 2023.
Media report, May 2023, had it that Kaduna state LP executive suspended the three frontline members of its party including Auta, for taking sides with Limidi Apapa led faction of the party executive which was described as illegal and counterfeit.
Those suspended includes the 2023 deputy governorship candidate Hon. Bashir Idris Aliyu, Senatorial candidates zone 1 Alh. Ibrahim Sidi Bamali and Senatorial candidate zone 3 Engr. Michael Ayuba Auta respectively and other members who attended the Bauchi meeting of Apapa led faction of the LP.
The suspension was handed down at the end of an emergency meeting of the state executive council (SEC), held on Sunday 6th May 2023, according to the party’s resolution signed by the spokesman of the party, Idris Yusuf in Kaduna State.
Kaduna LP executive also dissociated themselves from what it termed “The illegal and counterfeit group of the Labour Party led by one Lamidi Apapa”
“All identified card-carrying members of the LP who were part of the so-called NEC meeting that took place in Bauchi, Bauchi state Wednesday, 3rd, May 2022 hereby stand suspended from the party.
“These three stand suspended and this decision will be forwarded to the National Working Committee of the Labour Party and other relevant bodies for further actions”, the report stated.
Engr. Auta was also accused of allegedly collected cloths (Babban riga) of about 200 piece, from a man bearing Alhaji Murtala in Birinin Kebbi, kebbi state, but refused to pay the money amounting to N15 million.
“The man has been going to Abuja to get his money but to no avail”, the group alleges.
