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Says move unconstitutional, will be challanged in court
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Wants him to vacate seat before switching
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Warns lawmakers against crossing to save seats
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to go to court if the Governor of Zamfara State, Hon. Bello Matawalle, National Assembly members from the state and State House of Assembly defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, today as planned.
Towards this end, the PDP has warned the governors and others not to take such action today (Tuesday), declaring that it will challenge it in the court of law.
The main opposition party gave the warning at a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja yesterday.
Ologbondiyan said that the party is watching developments in Zamfara state as they concern reports of plans by Matawalle, to cross over to the APC.
The PDP, according to the National Publicity Secretary, categorically cautioned Matawalle to know that his plans amounts 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.
According to him, “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,”.
The PDP rqually cautioned members of the National Assembly as well as members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, not to allow themselves to be pushed into losing their seats as the provisions of the Constitution is very clear in barring lawmakers from cross carpeting, except in a situation of a division in the political party upon which platform they were elected.
According to him, “There is no division in the PDP to warrant to defection of any of our lawmakers”.
The PDP expressed the hopes that Bello Matawalle as well as members of the National and State Assembly from Zamfara state will take caution.
In a related development, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the dissolution of the Zamfara State Executive of the party.
The pointed pointed out that, “The decision is in line with the provision of Section 29 (2)(b) of the PDP Constitution 2017 (as amended).
“All party leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party in Zamfara state should, by this, be guided accordingly,” the party said.
While fielding questions from journalists after the briefing, the party’s NPS said that their governors are being intimidated by the ruling party to cross over.
He said that those who manage to speak against the ruling APC are feeling the heat, adding that the circumstances Matewalle came to the office is different.
According to him, “What happens in Zamfara will be a subject under jurisprudence. We will go to court. We will do everything possible
