From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
The Zamfara state Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Faruku Ahmed Shatiman Rijiya has described the defection of Governor Bello Mattawale to APC as a blessing to the PDP.
Alhaji Faruku said, the PDP has never been in troubled waters in the state until when Governor Matawalle became the Governor under the umbrella of the party as a result of the Court’s judgement.
He stressed that, “Immediately he took over the mantle of leadership as the Executive Governor, his first enemies were the PDP supporters who suffered and for for him during the election”.
Acccording to Shattima, since the Governor was sworn in, he had never visited the Secretariat of the party until one day when he was planning to join the APC.
“He had never found time to come to the headquarters of the party for any reason and he was not relating with even the executive members of the party, talkless of the ordinary party Supporters”.
“I am telling you, we are very happy with his defection to the APC. We now have total peace within the party since he left us”.
He maitained that, the trouble has now been shifted to the APC members who the Governor met.
He stressed that, since his defection to APC, Matawalle was now busy fighting the prominent members of the party like the former Governor Abdul Aziz Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa.
He maitained that, following the defection of Governor Bello Mattawale to APC, the party has now divided into three factions where every faction was claiming ownership of the party.
“We thank God that he has left us and as everybody can see, our party is now becoming more stronger and popular by the day”.
Faruku however expressed disgust over the persistent attacks on the PDP members by the Governor, lamenting that, “The Governor is not happy with the way our party is gaining acceptance from the people of the state”.
He cited an example with the recent attack on the PDP state congress by some Political thugs allegedly sent by the Governor to destrupt the congress where several items were destroyed by the thugs.
Faruku also explained that the Governor had on several occasions thwarted their efforts in opening the new office headquarters in Gusau town simply because he wanted the party to die.
“He did all he could to make sure that we have no office in the state so that the party will die naturally but God didn’t allow that to happen”.
Acccording to him, the Governor has now resorted to tarnishing the image of the party”s stalwarts because he has failed to destroy the party.
“You can recall that just recently, he accused one of our fathers, General Aliyu Mohammed Shehu of having hand in banditry activities”.
He said that, Gen Aliyu is aiding the bandits because he owes 70 of Mining activities in Zamfara state”.
“How can someone like General Aliyu Gusau who has a very good record of service be associated with banditry activities in the state”.
“But I don’t blame Matawalle because he is learning how to tarnish the people’s image through his master, the former Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura”.
“If you could recall, when Yarima was the Governor of the state, he also accused Gen Aliyu Gusau of stealing some ballot boxes. An investigation was made and the accusation turned to be a great lie”.
Shattima stated that, there was no amount of pressure or blackmail that could make the PDP members to change their mind and join Matawalle in the APC.
Acccording to Shattima, the trouble between Matawalle and the PDP started when the deputy Governor and other members of the party refused to follow him when he joined the APC.
“He was not happy with many PDP stalwarts who refused to join APC more especially his Deputy, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau”.
“He tried to get the deputy Governor impeached and when he could not do that, he now resorted to all forms of intimidation and harassment in order to make his deputy to be frustrated and resign his appointment, but he refused”.
The Shatiman Rijiya said that, Governor Matawalle ones explained that, he wanted to resign if not for the fear that, his Deputy, son of Ali Gusau would take over as the Governor.
“When the Deputy Governor heard of this, he swore that he took will tender his resignation letter if Governor Matawalle should resign, but he refused”.
Faruku called on the Governor to concentrate on the people’s oriented projects before his time ended, lamenting that, “Since the Governor assumed office more than two years ago, he has never executed any project that has direct bearing to the common man”.
“A lot of money has been sunk in White elephant projects in Government House alone, living the state to continue gripping in the dark”.
Acccording to Faruku, even the security situation in the state which the Governor has been sinking a lot of resources was now deteriorating since the time he joined the APC.
Faruku said, the Governor was deceived by some people who told him that, he would get assistance from the Federal Government if he joined the APC.
“They deceived him by telling him to join the Federal Government’s party if he wanted to get support from Buhari to fight the bandits. Up to now, we have not seen anything to that regard”.
He described Governor Matawalle’s Government as the worse that ever happened in the state since its creation in 1996.
“I am telling you, his Government is the worst we have ever seen here in Zamfara”.
“There are uncountable number of promises made by the Governor both during his campaign and now that he is the Governor”.
“I strongly want to advise him to stop harassing and intimidating his political opponents. He should remember that, the PDP that made him to be the Governor did not win election. The mandate was given to him and his deputy through the Supreme Court’s verdict”.
“He should remember that, the seat he now occupies does not belong to him. It belongs to the PDP and we are in court to challenge his being on the seat despite the fact that he has left the party that brought him to power”.
“He should stop biting the finger that fed him. He should stop fighting the PDP and its members for his own interest”. Concluded Shattima.
