Impeachment Move: PDP raises alarm over impending crisis in Zamfara

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the strongest terms has cautioned the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, for allegedly orchestrating and manipulating the State House of Assembly to commence an “illegal and undemocratic” process of impeachment against his deputy, Alhaji Mahadi Aliyu.

Solacebase reports that the State Deputy Governor fell out with the Governor over his refusal to defect with him to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in June 2021.

With the development, the PDP and the deputy governor then accused the governor, Bello Matawalle of planned impeachment against Mahadi Aliyu Gusau.

The party subsequently filed a suit against the governor, the Zamfara Assembly and the Speaker, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja

On July, 2021, the court restrained Zamfara Speaker and two others from proceedings with its planned impeachment of Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau.

The court also restrained the Governor and the Chief Judge.

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Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the restraining order after listening to Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), who moved a motion ex-parte to that effect, on behalf of the plaintiff in a suit filed in the name of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

However, on Friday, Zamfara State House of Assembly commenced impeachment process against the Deputy Governor of the state.

A statement by the Director General, Press Affairs and Public Relations to the legislature, Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura, said the move followed a presentation of impeachment notice by the Deputy Speaker of the house, Mr Nasiru Magarya.

“As part of the provision of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that empowers legislatures to commence impeachment move of a governor or his deputy on allegations of constitutional breaches, wrong doing or abuse of office,’’ the statement said.

Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Debo Ologunagba, on Saturday, in a statement, said the illegal process of impeachment despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/ 650/2021, portends grave implications.

“It is clear that this panic move by Governor Matawalle is induced by his realization that the mandate of the PDP which he stole away into the APC is at the verge of being recovered through the legal processes of the court and restored to the Deputy Governor; he (Matawalle), having violated the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in recklessly moving to the APC when there is no division in the PDP.

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“Governor Matawalle should note that the people of Zamfara State are solidly with the Deputy Governor, who enjoys large political following in the State as the custodian of the PDP mandate after Matawalle’s infamous defection to the APC.

“As such, any action against the Deputy Governor amounts to a direct assault on the will of the people which they will firmly resist.

“Any attempt, therefore, to strip the Deputy Governor of the mandate of the people on the grounds of baseless and unfounded allegations is a recipe for a serious crisis that can result in the complete breakdown of law and order in the State.

“The State House of Assembly is, therefore, cautioned not to allow itself to be pitched against the people and destroy the State because of the bloated ego of Governor Matawalle whose political career is at its twilight.

“The PDP calls on the Inspector General of Police to note how Governor Matawalle, out of frustration, has constituted himself into a security threat in Zamfara State and the entire North West region, where he is now threatening the lives of members of the PDP and other well-meaning citizens of Zamfara State.

“The PDP calls on President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to immediately call Governor Matawalle to order and ensure that this action which is a great assault on democracy especially the principle of Separation of Powers and peaceful co-existence in Zamfara State is halted forthwith,” it said.