The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, for allegedly stoking and inducing violence in the state by orchestrating and manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence an illegal and undemocratic process of impeachment against elected Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.
The PDP maintained that “this illegal process of impeachment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021 portends grave implication for peace and security not only in Zamfara State but the entire Northwest region as well as the continued sustenance of democracy in our country.”
The party, through its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba said it is clear that this panic move by Governor Matawalle is induced by his realisation that the mandate of the PDP, which he stole away into the APC, is on the verge of being recovered through the legal processes of the court and restored to the deputy governor.
According to Ologunagba’s statement, Matawalle violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) is recklessly moving to the APC when there is no division in the PDP.
It added that any action against the deputy governor amounts to a direct assault on the will of the people which they will firmly resist.
“The State House of Assembly is, therefore, cautioned not to allow itself to be pitched against the people and destroy the State because of the bloated ego of Governor Matawalle whose political career is at its twilight.
“Governor Matawalle must know that the people of Zamfara State cannot allow his personal frustration and ego to be exchanged for their mandate which is now embodied in the Deputy Governor,” the PDP stated.
The party called on the Inspector-General of Police to “note how Governor Matawalle, out of frustration, has constituted himself into a security threat in Zamfara State and the entire Northwest, where he is now threatening the lives of members of the PDP and other well-meaning citizens of Zamfara State.”
PDP further alerted Nigerians of how Governor Matawalle has allegedly been hounding members of the Zamfara State Working Committee of the PDP particularly, the State Deputy Chairman, Prof. Kabiru Jabaka, who the opposition party claims have been forced to relocate out of the state over threats to his life.
The PDP also stressed with consternation, that “Governor Matawalle’s well-known connections and negotiations with bandits and terrorists and calls on Nigerians to hold him responsible should any harm befall our party members in the State.”
The party called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to immediately call Governor Matawalle to order and ensure that the action which the PDP terms a great assault on democracy especially the principle of separation of powers and peaceful co-existence in Zamfara State is halted forthwith.
PDP through its spokesman further asserted that Governor Matawalle must be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order which can result in bloodshed in Zamfara State for which he can also be personally held liable even beyond the shores of Nigeria.
