Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

With less than six days to his al­leged defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said that it was confident that Zamfara State governor, Bello Ma­tawalle, will not leave its fold.

Even though Governor Matawalle had denied fixing a date for his defection to the APC, sources close to the gov­ernor had said arrangements were in top gear to receive him into the APC on June 12, as part of activities marking this year’s Democracy Day.

In April, a delegation of APC governors led by Chair­man of the Progressive Gov­ernors’ Forum (PGF) and gov­ernor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, visited Matawalle at Govern­ment House, Gusau.

Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Com­mittee and Yobe State gover­nor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Jigawa State governor, Abu­bakar Badaru, were also part of the visit.

Even though the three APC governors said their visit was to commiserate with Matawalle over a recent market fire in Gusau, the state capital, many believed it was to finalise the governor’s de­fection to the ruling party.

While the APC governors donated N50 million, the PDP governors in a counter move also visited Matawalle and do­nated the sum of N100 million to victims of the fire incident.

Also speaking with our correspondent on Monday, a top PDP chieftain in the state who asked not to be named said the governor was “al­ready technically in APC but waiting for formal declara­tion to join the fold.

“I can tell you that His Excellency, Governor Ma­tawalle is 80 percent in APC as we speak. If you look at the events that have played out in the past few weeks and you are a good political analyst, you will know that he is physi­cally in PDP but his mind and body are in APC.

“Recently, like his coun­terpart in Cross Rivers, who defected to APC few days ago, Governor Matawalle has not attended any PDP meeting in the last couple of days. He has only been sending representa­tives. Also, if you look at the dissolution of the cabinet car­ried out by the governor and few other actions taken by him, then it is safe to assume that his defection to APC is fait accompli”.

However, speaking with Daily Independent, Kola Olog­bondiyan, the National Pub­licity Secretary of the PDP, said the party leadership has not given up on the governor and they are optimistic that he will not leave for the ruling party.

According to him, given the misgovernance by the ruling party since coming to power in 2015, only those who do not mean well for Nigeria will contemplate joining APC at this moment.

To this end, he said the Na­tional Working Committee of the party led by Prince Uche Secondus is using various or­gans of the party such as the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, for­mer PDP Governors’ Forum and the PDP National Assem­bly caucus to dissuade Gover­nor Matawalle from leaving the PDP.

“We cannot give up on a governor. We are working within the confines of the power conferred on the Na­tional Working Committee (NWC) using our various organs such as the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, former PDP Governors’ Forum and the PDP National Assembly Caucus.

“We will use all our organs to speak with the governor of Zamfara State, Matawalle, and make him see reasons why he should not leave the party for APC. I don’t think anybody who means well for this country will go and join APC today.
“And I am confident that the governors elected on the platform of our party means well for Nigeria and as such I don’t think Governor Ma­tawalle for any reason will go and join the APC”, he said.

Our correspondent gath­ered that the PDP is still making last minute efforts to prevent Matawalle from leav­ing the party.

It was also gathered that Matawalle was desirous of joining the ruling party so as to secure his political future ahead of the 2023 general elections.

If Matawalle eventually joins the APC, he would be third governor to dump the PDP for the ruling party since President Muhammadu Bu­hari was sworn in for a sec­ond term. The first to dump the PDP was the Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, who had on several occasions de­nied plans to dump the PDP.

Like Umahi, Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, also dumped the PDP few days ago for the APC after several denials.
PDP was declared winner in Zamfara State when the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, ruled that the APC did not conduct valid primaries in the build-up to 2019 general election in the state.

The Supreme Court val­idated the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Divi­sion, which ruled that no val­id primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State.

The court, in a unanimous judgment by a five-member panel, decided that a party that had no valid candidates cannot be said to have won the general election.

The governorship candi­date of the APC, Mr. Mukhtar Idris, had been declared win­ner of the election after he polled 534,541 votes despite controversies trailing his candidacy.

The PDP candidate, Ma­tawalle, who came second in the election, was subsequent­ly declared the governor-elect.

https://independent.ng/were-confident-zamfara-gov-wont-join-apc-pdp/

Lol... Never say never.. Politicians are the most slippery people in the world.. Very shady
. All!!

Pdp no think like that oooooh

If that will solve the security problem in the state its fine

The bastard will definitely defect to APC to acquire patent right to be selling our gold and sharing the spoils with those deadwoods in the villa.

What's the difference between you lots ?

Deep Quote
A free mind never concludes but it's always everly in evaluation!

We need young visionary leaders not these charlatans that are always talking about party affiliations rather than matters that are nation building related.


@Seniorwriter

Ok

never trust any Nigeria politician........ the trust of any Nigeria politician is the beginning of heart attack

Same people swinging around different political party.

It makes no different to me. No social impact on the life of the people.

If only what you are saying will guarantee him second tenure.

Them dey talk serious issues, PDP dey reason Matewalle matter. A governor that is clearly aiding the destruction of his own state through an ill-thought dialogue with terrorists herdsmen.

What value has the governor to add to your folds? Is it just to bear the name of PDP governor? That man is as good as an APC governor, from his bad decisions and romance with the terrorists led government.

I think it's high time our parties began to run issues and policies based campaigns.

In Germany, they have about five strong parties, each identified with their policies.

The CDU is a purely conservative and their candidates and policies reflect that.

The AfD is a far right party, party of extremists and one might call them racists, and they live up to that name.

The is the Business Minded Party, their ideology is pure capitalism and they stick to it.

In Nigeria, a politician would promise to build 1 million schools, construct 10 million km of roads across the country, fight insecurity, fight corruption, boost economy and many other 20 points agendas.

It is not possible to deliver on such promises, it is NEVER possible for one government to come through with such lofty political promises.

I just weak for Nigeria.

What if he joins?

Your cup of tea. You are all the same

PDP DEY THERE DEY DREAM, WHEN YOU WAKE UP TELL ME.

Okay

Same Matawalle that was imposed indirectly by Apc due to their misunderstanding with Yari?

All of u na na the same thing

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Their Own Cup of tea

Na was o

Bunch of CLOWNS!!!

He should try and join, for the forgiveness of his sins

Pdp apc they are all after the yams

Just maintain ur confidence until Wike joins.

I will never trust politicians