Zamfara: A Deputy Governor’s Rebellion

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The battle is now set as the once existing camaraderie between Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state and his Deputy, Mahdi Aliyu- Gusau, has been shattered over the latter’s refusal to join his principal to defect to the ruling APC.

Governor Matawalle dumped the PDP for the APC on Monday, thus ending the year- long speculations over his future in his former party. But after the governor boasted that all his cabinet members and members of the state house of Assembly will move with him to his new party, Gusau, the son of a former National Security Adviser, NSA General Aliyu Gasau has vowed to remain in PDP.

At least two senators, alongside members of the state Assembly have now joined the APC, but the Deputy Governor said he will stay put, insisting that it will be wrong to dump the PDP which provided the duo the platform to win the governorship election.

Apart from this, the young deputy governor said his family has a long history with the PDP and leaving the party now would rubbish the long efforts of his father, who has remained a strong member of the party after serving in various capacities, including as National Security Adviser under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Gusau said it was true sheer fate that brought PDP to power in the state, after the Supreme Court disqualified the governorship candidate of the APC in the election, including all members of the state house of Assembly. It will now be wrong to give the victory to APC midway into their four-year term, he said.

The deputy governor who spoke in Gusau, soon after the governor’s defection also explained that he was not consulted by the governor before he defected to the APC noting that he “heard everything as a rumour until by 6:00 pm on 29th June he announced his defection to the ruling APC,” Aliyu said.

He also said “After due consultation with my family, friends, and supporters, especially members of my party, the PDP, I have decided to remain in my political party, the PDP,” the deputy governor said as he recalled the legal tussle that gave himself and his principal the mandate to lead the northwestern state.

“At no time have I been informed or consulted of any planned defection neither by my boss, the party nor anyone else for that matter,” he explained. “I have also not been invited either in my official or personal capacity for any planned defection.”

He said “Remember how the Supreme Court brought us to power. That’s why I am thankful to God and chose to remain in the PDP,”

He said he had no problem with the governor’s decision to move to a news party, because “Since my father brought the party, we never for once left the party. They met us in the PDP and they will left (leave) us there. It’s not a new thing in Nigeria politics for governor and his deputy to belong to different political parties and complete their constitutional mandate together and I hope this too shall come to pass in Zamfara.”

It is not yet clear what the governor will do about his rebellious deputy, but Gusau has ruled out the possibility of his impeachment by the state lawmakers, many of who the magazine learnt have thrown their weight behind Matawalle’s decision to leave the PDP.

But the Deputy Governors whose decision to remain in PDP has ruffled feathers, said  he has a good working relationship with the members of the state’s House of Assembly, as well as Governor Matawalle.