Our defecting governors lack courage, we’ve done all to keep them within fold —PDP

FOLLOWING the announced decision of the Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party has said those defecting from its fold lack the courage to withstand pressure from the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Governor Matawalle, alongside members of the state House of Assembly, members of the House of Representatives from the states and senators representing the three senatorial districts of the state are expected to declare for the APC today. 

As announced by the Zamfara State Director-General, Media, Yusuf Idris, the Zamfara State governor will be the latest PDP renegade, as 18 APC governors, led by the party caretaker chairman and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, are xpected in Gusau today to formally receive Governor Matawalle into their fold “The governor will come along with all the national and state Assembly members as well as the PDP executive members from all levels of the state,” Idris had said. 

The reception is scheduled to hold at the Trade Fair Complex, Gusau, with findings by the Nigerian Tribune revealing that the city is wearing a new look ahead of the ceremony, with APC flags and billboards adorning major roads leading to the Government House as well as the venue of the event. Reacting, however, the PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party had done all that is necessary to keep their governors but regretted that those defecting lack the courage to withstand the pressure from the APC. 

He said: “It is empathetic to say that every requirement to stabilise the party and make our governors to remain in the party has been done, but it takes a lot of courage, it takes a lot of valour for some governors to be able to withstand, to take a stand and speak out against the situation that the nation has been pushed to. 

“Perhaps those that you can find defecting are those who lack the courage to be able to withstand the heat of the APC at this moment.” 

He hinted that it will take the governor to court to retrieve its mandate. The party is basing its position on the combined reading of Section 221 of the Constitution and the pronouncement of the Supreme Court judgment in Faleke vs. the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which affirmed that the votes scored in an election belong to the political party and that the candidate nominated to contest at an election by his party acts only as the agent of his party. 

Ologbondiyan, at a press conference in Abuja, on Monday, therefore, cautioned Matawalle, saying his decision to leave the PDP amounts to vacating his office. He said the main opposition party party is watching unfolding events in the Zamfara State and would explore all legitimate means to retain its mandate in the state, while he reminded the lawmakers in the state that there is no division in the PDP in Zamfara to warrant any defection to another party. 

He said: “The PDP is watching developments in Zamfara State as they concern reports of plans by the state governor, Bello Matawalle, to cross over to the APC. “The PDP categorically cautions Bello Matawalle to know that his plans amounts to a decision to vacate office as no law allows him to cross over to any other party with the governorship mandate statutorily given to the PDP through the ballot box, as already established by the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the standing judgment of the Supreme Court. 

“The PDP also cautions members of the National Assembly, as well as members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly not to allow themselves to be pushed into losing their seats as the provisions of the constitution, is very clear in barring lawmakers from cross carpeting, except in a situation of a division in the political party upon which platform they were elected. 

“There is no division in the PDP to warrant to the defection of any of our lawmakers. 

“The PDP hopes that Bello Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara State will take caution.” 

The National Working Committee (NWC) has, therefore, approved the dissolution of the Zamfara State executive of the party. Ologbondiyan said that the decision is in line with the provision of Section 29(2)(b) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended). “All party leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party in Zamfara State should, by this, be guided accordingly,” he said. 

Meanwhile, a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdul-Azeez Yari, has declared his support for the defection of Matawalle to the APC. Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting of the party at Arewa House in Kaduna, on Monday, Yari said he hoped that Matawalle’s entry would add value to the APC. He was, however, quick to add the party was still holding meetings with major stakeholders from the 14 local government areas of the state on how every member of the party would be treated fairly.

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