Ex-Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara: warns Matawalle against leaving PDP

Abdulaziz Yari, the former governor of Zamfara State, has cautioned Gov. Bello Matawalle against abandoning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Yari, the Zamfara state governor will forfeit his seat if he leaves the PDP, citing the Supreme Court decision that elected him in 2019.

Yari made the remarks at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Gusau on Sunday, during the distribution of N1.3 billion in assorted grains he purchased as a Ramadan gift for the party’s supporters.

Senator Kabiru Marafa, who represented the former Governor, said that no one had told them in writing or verbally that Matawalle was defecting to APC.

He did, however, alert that the Supreme Court will nullify the APC candidates’ election in 2019 and recognize the PDP candidates as winners, ensuring that they will remain in power until 2023.

“As such, until after that period, any PDP elected officer who defects to another party must also vacate his seat going by the court’s judgment,” Yari said.

He said Matawalle was being misled by some people to join the APC, “forgetting the circumstances that have made him become the governor of the state.”

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Reports had emerged that Matawalle had concluded plans to dump the PDP after some APC Governors visited him.

However, the Governor’s participation at the PDP Governors’ meeting in Makurdi last Friday appears now to be a big disappointment to those who peddled the rumour that he was about to defect to the APC.

Matawalle was in high spirits when he met with his colleagues and commended Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State for being a wonderful host.