PDP Challenges Zamfara Governor’s Defection To APC, Wants Court To Remove Him

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court Abuja, challenging Zamfara State Governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, over his defection from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and wants him removed.

PDP also wants the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mahadi Aliyu Gusau removed from office too, over what it called “unlawful defection.”

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/489/202, was filed in the names of two PDP members from Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Kaura Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammed.

The plaintiffs are contending that, in view of an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, to the effect that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara state, having not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle and Gusau to retain their offices while defecting from the PDP to the APC and thereby transferring PDP’s victory to the APC.

They want the court to, among others, declare that Matawalle and Gusau must resign from their offices before their defection to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections, within three months, for the PDP to replace them.

Following an ex-parte motion argued today, July 12 by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo granted an order of substituted service of the originating processes on the Governor and Deputy Governor.

By the order, the governor and his deputy are to be served with all court papers through the National Secretariat of APC in Abuja.

Justice Ekwo thereafter fixed July 16, for the report of court papers on the two defendants.