As final touches to the defection of Zamfara State Governor, Bello Bello Matawalle are being put in place, a two-year old video of him swearing not to have peace if he left the opposition Peoles Democratic Party (PDP) has surfaced on social media.
PDP has been bristling and threatening brimstone against Matawalle and any legislator from the state who leaves its fold.
Nevertheless, PDP Senator from the troubled state, Hassan Mohammad Gusau, threw in his resignation letter from the party to the highest legislative body’s leadership.
His resignation was conveyed in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and read during the start of plenary on Tuesday.
He explained in the letter that his decision is necessitated by the collapse of internal democracy and factionalisation of the PDP from ward levels in Zamfara State.
“Further decisions on political movement and party affiliations will be communicated to this chamber in due course,” he added.
Said PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondinya, on Monday, “The PDP categorically cautions Bello Matawalle to know that his plans amount 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.”
Meanwhile, the former National Secretary of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Sani Shinkafi, has also defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming he did it to support Gov. Bello Matawalle in his bid to rebuild Zamfara.
Shinkafi was the APGA governorship candidate at the 2019 general elections in Zamfara
He told journalists on Tuesday: “I am joining Matawalle in APC, with the APGA structure in the state and 14 local government areas (LGAs) of the state.”I am not joining APC for material gains. I am joining Matawalle to develop my state.
“I am leaving APGA not because I don’t like the party, but I am leaving APGA in order to join Matawalle in the APC to rebuild Zamfara State.
“I was invited by Governor Bello Matawalle himself to join him in the APC, and as such, I see no reason why I should not join him.”