The Zamfara State Government has commended the judgment delivered by Justice Bappa Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Gusau, the state capital, that Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle has the right to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the constitution of both political parties states, as well as the nation’s 1999 Constitution, did not prohibit him.
According to the Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Mallam Yusuf Idris Gusau, the PDP is saddened by the governor’s defection along with his teeming supporters including members of state and national assemblies from the state and has been pursuing the governor with threats, intimidation and court orders for him to return.
“In his ruling, the Federal High Court Judge, who pointed out that the case was neither a preelection nor postelection matter which would have been an elections Petitions Tribunal case said the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to treat it.
“On the request by the plaintiffs, including Bashir Saleh, Abduhamid Haruna and Ibrahim Muhammad Turaki to remove the governor, claiming he had to be in their party to remain in office as presented through their counsel, J C Shakaka, Justice Aliyu informed them that it is only an elections petitions tribunal or the state House of Assembly that have the power to do so.
“He, therefore, charged the plaintiffs to pay the sum of N1 million to each of the four defendants comprising the state Governor, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the APC, INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation as compensation for wasting their time,” he said.
According to Mallam Gusau, this has therefore put to rest any further claim by the PDP on Matawalle sitting on their mandate, saying that the mandate belongs to the people of Zamfara and is entrusted in Matawalle.
“We, as a party at the APC office under the leadership of Hon. Tukur Umar Danfulani wish to again commend the Nigerian judicial system for standing firm by the truth without fear or favour.
“We particularly commend the counsel to Governor Matawalle, Mr Mike Nzekwume (SAN) for his resilience in the defence of the rule of law and urge him to keep it up,” he added.
