PDP Sparks, Threatens To Sue Matawalle For Joining APC

• Buni receives Zamfara gov, other defectors today

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not finding the gale of defection from its fold funny and has threatened legal action to save the mandate given to the party by Nigerians in some states of the federation.

Specifically, the country’s main opposition Party (PDP) believes the time has come to approach the court for interpretation of the legality or otherwise of Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

And firmly positing that Matawalle’s defection means a decision to vacate office, the PDP said no law in the country permits his moving to any other party with the governorship mandate which the PDP lawfully and rightfully got through the ballot box as confirmed by the Supreme Court.

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, told journalists in Abuja that the matter had been established by the 1999 Constitution and a judgment of the Supreme Court.

It urged Governor Matawalle and all the defecting lawmakers to be on the side of caution as the law only recognises and sanctions defection in a condition of crisis within the party of those decamping to another platform.

According to Ologbondiyan; “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is watching developments in Zamfara state as they concern reports of plans by the state governor, Bello Matawalle, to cross over to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The PDP categorically cautions Bello 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.”

In maintaining that there is no division in the PDP in Zamfara to warrant any defection to another party, the PDP spokesman 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 PDP hopes that Bello Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara State will take caution.”

Meanwhile, Zamfara state is oozing a carnival-like atmosphere with Governor Matawalle, some federal and state lawmakers as well as many PDP supporters set to make their formal entrance into the APC family in Gusau, the state capital today, Tuesday, June 29, 2021

The APC National Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, is expected to lead the team to receive Matawalle with the support of his colleagues in the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF).

Matawalle lost the 2019 election to APC candidate Muktar Idris but was sworn in after the Supreme Court ruled that the APC breached its Constitution in choosing its candidate for the election.

The situation affected many House of Assembly members also elected on the APC platform, who eventually lost their seats to PDP opponents.

Matawalle is the second PDP governor to join the APC within two months. On May 20, 2021, Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State expectedly abandoned the umbrella party for APC, citing the urgent need to align the South-South state with the central government.

With the move by Matawalle, APC now has 22 governors to PDP’s 13 while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has one, Anambra state, to its name.