Enemy Within: As Mattawale and Gusau’s Fight Continues

HighLife

There are levels to the executive feuds that Nigerians bear witness to. In the traditional sense, assuming there is such a category for in-house political squabbles, an ex-Governor hurls insults at their successor or something to that effect. In the Zamfara State of today, the executive squabble is between the incumbent Governor, Bello Mattawale, and his deputy, Mahdi Gusau. And the primary reason for the difference in opinion has to do with Mattawale’s cross-carpeting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Say what you will about party-switching in Nigeria and how it is like throwing an egg at a rock but Gusau is not having it. Following the defection of his higher half from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gusau has told whoever has ears and the patience to listen that Mattawale is a person that makes false promises.

Gusau explained his grievances to the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal when the latter visited Zamfara on Monday, February 7, 2022. Tambuwal had to sit tight while Gusau clarified his beef with Mattawale. Why would the latter defect to the APC when it was the PDP that brought him to power? On what grounds did Mattawale make that move especially when they had a prior agreement about bearing the rains and storms of political changes together under the umbrella of the number-one party in Nigeria after the APC?

To be sure, Gusau’s grievances are understandable but surely Mattawale did not jump ship so that he will be more popular with the people. Or maybe he did. But he didn’t take Gusau’s feelings to heart when he left his PDP gang in the dust and joined the APC wagon. Or, again, maybe he did.

Meanwhile, Gusau is not the only person with a bone to pick against Mattawale. A Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara recently struck out a case against Mattawale. The plaintiffs intended to remove Mattawale from the Governor’s seat on account of his defection but the court thought otherwise. So the Deputy Governor is not the only person in Zamfara ready to come to blows with the governor.