By Managing Editor
Many people are still wondering why the sudden crashing of Zamfara cabinet by Governor Bello Matawalle?.
Some said it was to enable the Governor put his government in proper shape while others said it was as a result of the unending agitations by stakeholders for the Governor to rejig his cabinet due to evidences of poor performance.
But the most popular argument which is trending now is that the crashing of the cabinet is likely connected to the plan defection to the APC by the Governor Matawalle which according to rumor is scheduled for June 12, 2021.
One of the closest ally of the Governor who spoke to this Medium in confidence said, the Governor may likely sacrifice ten slots of Commissioners for the APC and some unspecified number of board chairmen, members and other political posts.
The rumors of the defection of Governor Matawalle to the APC has been trending for months and many believed the delay may not be unconnected with the Governor trying to weigh his options, especially those that relate to the legal consequences.
Opinions differ, whether by legal consideration Governor Bello Matawalle can cross to the APC by virtue of the political precedence that brought him as a Governor.
A chieftain of the APC who spoke on condition of anonymity said, the Governor had wanted to cross to the APC earlier than now, but he is afraid of the consequential judicial set back that may likely follow him after his defection.
He added “by layman arithmetic the position of the apex court on Zamfara judgment is very clear, Matawalle was never declared as winner but the PDP, the platform that sponsored him so if he thinks the party is not important in sustaining his gubernatorial seat he is free to join us in the APC.
Another Chieftain of the PDP who is not happy with the way Matawalle is planning to exit the PDP after using it as platform to win election said “he knew very well he has nothing to show, he has destroyed our party, he refused to do the right thing which would attract the common people to accept us now he wants to go and meet other people and create crises in their own party”.
There are varied opinions as to why Matawalle is defecting to the APC one of them is that, some powerful forces are initiating that agenda just in order to age out Abdulazeez Yari the former Governor from the control of the party at the state level so that by whatever means the Governor will lead the party and secured his second bid ticket.
Otters believed his plan of defection is simply because he has a belief that there is no way he can win election for his second term if he remains in the PDP.
Ahmad Abubakar Maradun during one of the TV programmes of Thunder Blowers said, “Governor Matawalle has been receiving defectors from the APC day in day out since his inauguration and by summary the number of defectors he received in two years are larger than the over 500,000 votes scored by Zamfara APC gubernatorial candidate Mukhtar Koguna in the 2019 election so if it is true they have defected, why is he planning to crosses to the APC”?
He insisted that “Matawalle has a personal conviction that he can’t win 2023 election while in PDP and if anyone doubts me let him convince him to stay in his party the PDP”.
But like many political analysts predicted, Governor Matawalle crossing to the APC is not the issue because he has the constitutional right to do so but how is he going to manage his political prospects while in the APC is another big question which is still being debated.
Distinguished Senator Kabiru Marafa for instance has sent a clear message to the Governor during Ramadan that “once the Governor crosses to the APC they would drag him to court through five different litigation which he said he was optimistic the processes would show the governor way out of the government house”.
Mahadi his Deputy and other powerful PDP stakeholders who may not likely defect with the Governor may likely approach the supreme court to seek for re-interpretation of the judgment that brought the PDP to power in Zamfara State.
Even if all the litigation likely to be filed against Governor Matawalle fails analysts and political observers believed he has another road block to crosses most importantly the issue of fulfillment of his second term bid.
Many believed with the powerful forces in the Zamfara APC and couples with their unsettled political interest, the Governor would have to face a serious internal fight within the APC.
About eight persons are likely going to aspire for the gubernatorial seat of Zamfara under the APC in the forth coming 2023 election and if Matawalle joins meaning their number increases.
And by tradition it is open that the Governor would have to manipulate his way back to Governor’s seat while people like Dauda Lawal Dare, Aminu Sani Jaji, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, Mukhtar Shehu Idris would have to devise alternative political strategies to terminate that ambition.
No doubt with the manner the Governor uses some of his former aids to allegedly persecute some members of the APC he may surely face a serious political payback from these APC stakeholders who were prosecuted and jailed for political reasons.
Many believed the Governor is trying to cross to the APC before the party’s national convention so that he can get control of the delegates and manipulate the party executives in his favor.
But even with that, many believed the Governor may likely not found it easier because the people he is joining in the APC most especially the former Governor has a stronger political base that is better than that of the Governor in the APC.
Again one should not ignore the factors of those appointees he is likely going to drop because they would surely fight him back for terminating their political appointments Haphazardly.
Beyond politics Matawalle’s defection to the APC would certainly affect governance on the state because much of his time would be dedicated to fighting the people he has met in the APC and also doing much investment to lawyers handling his litigation.
Moreover, he has few months to do what he thinks he wants to do for Zamfara people because 2022 is a year that would be dominated by a lot of political activities including primary elections.
But let’s watch things as they unfold.
