The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle against defecting from PDP to All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as an unlawful act.
In a statement on Monday by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesperson, while reacting to the rumoured defection, the party expressed that no law allows Matawalle to defect to another party since he was elected on the platform of the PDP.
The PDP warned Matawalle against the decision, adding that his position as governor will become vacant if he defects to the APC.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is watching developments in Zamfara state as they concern reports of plans by the state governor, Bello Matawalle, to cross over to the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the party stated.
“The PDP categorically cautions Bello Matawalle to know that his plans amount to a decision to vacate office as no law allows him to cross over to any other party with the governorship mandate statutorily given to the PDP through the ballot box, as already established by the provision of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the standing judgment of the Supreme Court.
“A combined reading of Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution as the pronouncements of the Supreme Court in Faleke v INEC (2016) is clear in holding that it is the political party that stands for election, that votes scored in election belong to the political party and that the candidate nominated to contest at an election by his party, acts only as the agent of his party.”
