The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cried blue murder over the defection of Zamfara Sate Governor, Bello Mutawalle to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing him as a man who cannot withstand the heat of the ruling party.
PDP stressed: “…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 decamping are those who lack the courage to be able to withstand the heat of the APC at this moment.”
In a statement today, June 28, by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party warned the Governor, members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly and those of the National Assembly from the state against defecting to the ruling party, saying that such action would amount to vacating their offices.
The statement made it clear that now law allows the governor to cross over to any other party with the governorship mandate statutorily given to the PDP through the ballot box.”
It read: “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 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.
“A combined reading of Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as the pronouncements of the Supreme Court in Faleke v. INEC (2016) is clear in holding that it is the political party that stands for election, that votes scored in 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.
“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 the defection of any of our lawmakers.
“The PDP hopes that Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara State will take caution.
“Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the dissolution of the Zamfara State Executive of the party. 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.”
Governor Matawalle is scheduled to formally renounced the PDP and cross-over to the APC tomorrow, June 29 along with many PDP members in both the National Assembly and State House of Assembly.
