‘Recipe for crisis’ — PDP warns Matawalle against ‘plot’ to impeach deputy governor

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, and the state house of assembly against impeaching Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, the deputy governor.

According to NAN, the party issued the warning in a statement signed by Debo Ologunagba, its national publicity secretary, on Saturday.

The PDP accused Matawalle of “manipulating the state house of assembly to commence an illegal and undemocratic process of impeachment against the democratically elected deputy governor”.

The opposition party described the alleged move as undemocratic and illegal.

In July 2021, a federal high court in Abuja had stopped the attempt to impeach the deputy governor over his refusal to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Matawalle.

Obiora Egwuatu, the judge, had ordered all parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the case.

However, PDP claimed Matawalle and the Zamfara state assembly are continuing with the process of impeachment in spite of the court order.

“This illegal process of impeachment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021 portends grave implication for peace and security not only in Zamfara State but the entire North West region as well as the continued sustenance of democracy in our country,” the statement reads.

“It is clear that this panic move by Governor Matawalle is induced by his realization that the mandate of the PDP which he stole away into the APC is at the verge of being recovered through the legal processes of the court and restored to the Deputy Governor; he (Matawalle), having violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in recklessly moving to the APC when there is no division in the PDP.

“Governor Matawalle should note that the people of Zamfara State are solidly with the Deputy Governor, who enjoys large political following in the State as the custodian of the PDP mandate after Matawalle’s infamous defection to the APC. As such, any action against the Deputy Governor amounts to a direct assault on the Will of the people which they will firmly resist.

“Any attempt therefore to strip the Deputy Governor of the mandate of the people on the grounds of baseless and unfounded allegations is a recipe for serious crisis that can result in the complete breakdown of law and order in the State.

“The State House of Assembly is therefore cautioned not to allow itself to be pitched against the people and destroy the State because of the bloated ego of Governor Matawalle whose political career is at its twilight.

“Governor Matawalle must know that the people of Zamfara State cannot allow his personal frustration and ego to be exchanged for their mandate which is now embodied in the deputy governor.”