The PDP National Secretariat reportedly made available a press release to the media yesterday, signed by the National Publicity Secretary Mr Kola Ologbondiyan where the Party made stunning accusations against the APC in Zamfara State and particularly, the administration of Dr Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun).
The Party accused the Governor and the ruling Party in the state of deliberate attempt to frustrate the PDP ahead of 2023 elections by denying it the opportunity to own an office accommodation in Gusau.The Party also “cautioned” Governor Matawalle to let it be. It further said it has instructed its Lawyers to take up the matter just as it drew the attention of Human Rights Organisations to what it described as “reprehensible action”.
Against the above background, we find this allegation as spurious and a total disrespect to Dr Bello Mohammed who midwifed, nursed and nurtured the nearly obliterated PDP as a Party in Zamfara State and sailed it to power in 2019.
The PDP must be reminded to the fact that it poses no threat to either the APC as a Party in Zamfara State, nor Dr Bello Mohammed himself. I fact, the new leadership of the PDP at the National level need to make its homework and find out how it was able to manage a second position in 2019 elections if not for the sheer and total efforts of His Excellency Dr Bello Mohammed.
Though we quite sympathise with the PDP since the exit of His Excellency, Dr Bello Mohammed, but his exit from the Party or its attendant problems in the State are no ground to make wild allegations as lowly as accusing the Governor of threatening their prospective Landlord. It is important that the PDP sorts out its tenancy problems without dragging the name of Zamfara State Government into it just to attract public sympathy.
If indeed, the PDP believes its allegations are true and it is preparing to go to Court, then its media allegation against the Government is a needless distraction and a mischievous attempt to smear the name of the Governor and his administration.
It must be put on record that the total support enjoyed by the APC in Zamfara state is not in doubt which was proven in 2011 when it routed the then PDP administration out of office. Today, the APC is even more rooted in the hearts of Zamfara electorates with the entry of Dr Bello Mohamned into its fold.
It is instructive therefore, that Dr Bello Mohammed cannot descend so low as to smash an ant with a sledge hammer or even flog an already dead horse. The PDP must also be cautioned to weigh its allegations next time as the state Government may be forced to take lawful and appropriate actions against such carelessness.
Zailani Bappa is the Special Adviser, Public enlightenment, Media and Communications to Governor Bello Matawalle