Matawalle’s Defection Won’t Affect PDP in Future Elections, Says Zamfara Deputy Gov

Adedayo Akinwale

The Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Mahdi Aliyu Gusau yesterday told a teeming number of his supporters during a solidarity rally that the defection of his principal, Dr. Bello Matawalle would not affect the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the future elections.

Gusau, son of a former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau and currently the youngest deputy governor in the country, also disclosed that he would not defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Matawalle, who officially left the PDP on June 29.

He gave this assurance during a solidarity rally organised in support of the People Democratic party (PDP) in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital yesterday and attended by thousands of party members from 14 local government areas (LGAs) across the state.

At the solidarity rally, party faithfuls across the state held placards with inscriptions: “With Mahdi, new Zamfara is possible; Zamfara is PDP and PDP is Zamfara.”

The rally, which kicked off at about 11:00 a.m., caused traffic congestion in the state capital with commuters held in gridlocks for hours due to the large number of party supporters that trooped in for the solidarity march.
The deputy governor was accompanied by his father, General Aliyu Gusau, members of the PDP Caretaker Committee and some members of the State House of Assembly.

Addressing the party faithfuls yesterday, Mahdi disclosed that the defection of Matawalle would not in any way affect the chances of the PDP in future elections.

Mahdi assured the party supporters that as the highest political office holder in the party, he would mobilise grassroots support to bring the PDP back to the seat of power.

The deputy governor added that he would work with all party leaders at the ward, local government, state and national levels to reposition the PDP ahead of the 2023 elections.

He, therefore, urged every leader and member of Zamfara PDP “to cooperate with him to reposition the party. With Matawalle’s Defection, I am now the leader of the PDP in Zamfara State
“And as the leader of the party, I will not relent my effort in rebuilding and repositioning the party for victory in future elections,” the deputy governor told the party faithful with assurance that the PDP would reclaim its mandate.

He commiserated with the people of the state, especially the residents of Maradun Local Government Area (LGA) where gunmen suspected to be bandits killed about 49 people on Thursday.
The Deputy Governor condemned the killing in strong terms, saying the act “is barbaric and inhumane. It is totally unacceptable. As a party, therefore, we reject it.”

Also at the solidarity rally, a member of PDP Caretaker Committee and former Publicity Secretary of Zamfara PDP, Alhaji Faruku Gusau said the large crowd that came out in solidarity with the party showed that PDP was on ground in the state.

Gusau added that no person, whether in Abuja or Zamfara, could intimidate them to defect to the APC, thereby challenging the party faithfuls to watch out.
He assured the party supporters across the state that the PDP would bounce back in the state while dispelling insinuation that all members of the State House of Assembly would defect to the PDP alongside with the state governor.