Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has said that he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) to bring development to the people, debunking claims that he defected to stop the killings in the state.
The governor had on June 29 joined the ruling party after months of speculation and denial with all the federal and state lawmakers in Zamfara but his deputy, Mahdi Aliyu, and a state lawmaker, Kabiru Yahaya, opted to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the governor said he dumped the opposition PDP for the ruling party to bring development to the Zamfara people.
“It is a known fact that Governor Matawalle is one of the leaders in the country that speaks wisdom on all matters and he joined the APC in order to strengthen political unity in the state for the purpose of bringing more development to his people,” Mr Idris said.
According to the governor’s spokesman, the defection was also due to “the upper hands he (the governor) had been enjoying from President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC high command on all matters concerning the state.”
Gusau said President Buhari and the APC governors had been sympathetic to the people of the state in trying times, adding that these encouraged the governor to reciprocate the concern and respect given.
He added, “The governor’s mission for joining the ruling party was nothing more than that. Any other report is mischievous and the handiwork of those diversionary characters who have remained vehemently opposed to the defection to APC by Governor Matawalle.”
