The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Police in Zamfara State to provide the enabling environment for the Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau to takeover as the chief executive of the state.
The party said Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle, having defected from the PDP ceased to be the governor going by the Supreme Court ruling which paved the way for his emergence.
The State Police command had disrupted a planned rally initiated by the deputy governor in the state.
In a statement, the party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said: “Instead of harassing the deputy governor, Gusau, the police, as agents of the law, should be providing him all the protection and privileges, particularly as the formal process for his official declaration given the vacation of office by Matawalle has already commenced at the Federal High Court.
“The Police should know that by virtue of section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the judgment of the Supreme Court in Falake v. INEC (2016), that the Zamfara governorship mandate belongs to the PDP and that Gusau, not Matawalle, is now the holder of that mandate, given Matawalle’s willful defection to the APC.
“The PDP’s mandate is in no way transferable to the APC and the police and all security agencies should be guided by this.
“The PDP also cautions banks and other financial institutions to be wary of unapproved financial transactions with cronies of Governor Matawalle, particularly, given the alleged moves to sweep the coffers of the state ahead of Matawalle’s inevitable eviction by the court.
“Such institutions should be very circumspect in their dealings with impostors who have since ceased to represent the state, immediately Matawalle defected to the APC.
“The PDP calls on Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, to remain resolute and not be deterred in any way as the people of Zamfara State are solidly behind him in resisting imposters and deserters at this trying time.”
