Ahead of Matawalle’s defection to APC, Zamfara senator resigns from PDP

Hassan Mohammed Gusau, senator representing Zamfara central, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His resignation was in a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday.

The development is coming hours before the planned defection of Bello Matawalle, Zamfara governor (pictured), to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Matawalle is expected to join the ruling party on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Yusuf Idris, Matawalle’s spokesperson, said the governor will defect to the APC alongside “the national and state assembly members as well as the PDP executives from all levels of the state”.

In his letter, Gusau said he is leaving the PDP because of the “collapse of internal democracy”.

“I write to notify the senate of my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the effect of the date (June 28),” the lawmaker said.

“My decision is necessitated due to the collapse of internal democracy and functionalization of the party from ward levels In Zamfara state.

“Further decision of my party affiliation will be communicated to this chamber in due course.”

Matawalle will join David Umahi of Ebonyi and Ben Ayade of Cross River in the APC. Both governors recently defected from the PDP to the APC.