5th February, 2022
The Peoples Democratic Party has warned the Governor of Zamfara Bello Matawalle to refrain from manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence the impeachment process against his deputy, Mohammed Gusau.
The party gave the warning in a statement on Saturday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
PDP said the illegal impeachment process will have grave implications on the peace and security not only in Zamfara State but the entire North West region.
The opposition party accused Matawalle of stoking and inducing violence in the state by orchestrating and manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence an illegal and undemocratic process of impeachment against the democratically elected Deputy Governor.
PDP also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call Matawalle to order.
The statement read, “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.
“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 solid 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 a 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.”