APC: Matawalle Set to Dump PDP

Fresh indications have emerged of a plot by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that the ruling APC had on Thursday extended its membership registration and revalidation exercise for another two weeks.

There have been talks about the planned defection of Matawalle following the judgment of the Supreme Court on the crisis that trailed the primaries of APC in Zamfara.

A former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima, had stated last year that plans are on for Matawalle to join the ruling party.

A source told Daily Trust that one of the factors that delayed the defection of the governor was the crisis rocking the APC in the North-west state.

Factions loyal to former Governor Abdulaziz Yari and Senator Kabir Garba Marafa were reconciled in February this year.

A source close to the chairman of the national caretaker committee of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, confirmed the defection moves.

“The talks on Matawalle’s defection have gone far but wait for him to formally announce it,” the source said.

Another source disclosed that Abdulaziz Yari and other chieftains of the party in Zamfara State have been notified.

“We were told that he will join our party this month. They also told us that the defection is sanctioned by the presidency. Nocturnal meetings to finalise the arrangement are being held,” he said.

Ahead of the defection, it was gathered that the governor met with top officials of his administration in Zamfara State.

Speaking to Daily Trust, the Publicity Secretary of the ruling PDP in the state, Alhaji Farouk Ahmad, dismissed reports that Matawalle was joining the APC.

“We are just hearing it from the grapevine as you do but I can tell you that PDP as a party is not informed about the decision, so I can’t confirm anything to you,” he said.

On his part, the vice chairman of the opposition APC in the state, Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, said they were not officially contacted and that APC has nothing to say about it.