Defection: PDP tells court to sack Matawalle, deputy

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the sack Zamfara Governor Muhammad Matawalle and his deputy, Bello Mahadi Aliyu Gusau.

The allegation against the duo bordered on the recent defection from the opposition PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The reliefs were sought in a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/489/2021 filed in the names of Sani Kaura Ahmed and Abubakar Muhammed, both members of PDP in Zamfara State.

The plaintiffs are contending that, in view of an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, to the effect that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara State, haven not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle and Gusau to retain their offices while defecting from the PDP to the APC, and thereby transfer PDP’s victory to the APC.

They want the court to, among other prayers; declare that Matawalle and Gusua must resign from their offices before their defection to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election, within three months, for the PDP to replace them.

After listening to plaintiffs’ lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), moved his ex-parte motion, Justice Inyang Ekwo granted an order of substituted service of the originating processes on the Governor and Deputy Governor.