Matawalle’s Defection: PDP Dissolves Zamfara State Party Executive
…Warns NASS, SHoA members against defection
BY EVELYN DADU, ABUJA – Following the defection of Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday announced the dissolution of the State Executive of the party.
It urged all party leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of the PDP in Zamfara state to be guided by the decision of the National leadership.
The PDP at a press conference in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the decision is in line with the provision of Section 29 (2)(b) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended).
The party said it 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 cautioned Matawalle to know that his plans to defect amounts to a decision to vacate office, stressing that 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.
The PDP further said; “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 party also cautioned members of the National Assembly and the Zamfara State House of Assembly, not to allow themselves to be pushed into losing their seats, saying that 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.
The party said; “There is no division in the PDP to warrant to defection of any of our lawmakers.
“The PDP hopes that Bello Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara state will take caution”.
