Former Governor and Leader of All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul’azeez Yari Abubakar has said that defection of the incumbent PDP Governor, Bello Matawalle is a welcome development to the party.
Speaking with Journalists shortly after a consultative meeting with PDP stalwarts from all the local government areas of Zamfara State who converged on Kaduna Monday, Yari said Matawalle’s coming would add value to the party.
The consultative meeting with APC stalwarts across the State, he said, was necessary to carry everybody along and unanimously welcome the governor.
Yari was of the opinion that something in the PDP must have attracted Mutawalle, hence his decision to defect.
“His coming is a welcome development which would also be a future success of the party, he said.
Yari said his earlier decision to kick against the defection was for certain issues which were now a history.
Earlier, while addressing the consultative meeting, one time Governor of the State, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Shinkafi remarked that defection of Matawalle or whoever comes should be seen as a blessing to APC.
The consultative meeting was attended by APC heavy weights including former senators and ministers.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Governor Matawalle, Yusuf Idris has said that the governor will join the ruling party with “the national and state assembly members as well as the PDP executives from all levels of the state”.
The governor, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier dissolved the State’s executive council in what appears as the plan for his defection.
In an advertorial on Sunday, Idris was quoted as saying “All the committees that are charged with responsibility for a smooth transition of the governor have reported from their various committees that things have taken shape for the event which is scheduled to hold at a grand reception in Gusau on Tuesday, June 29.
“Let me emphasise to you that Zamfara politicians have always been a single family and even as a PDP governor, my principal, Gov Bello Matawalle has always related very well with those in the opposition parties.
“Many people from high and low have followed the governor into the PDP in order to offer their positive advices for the growth and development of the state, some of such persons were given top government positions and responsibilities which they held very well too.
“Under this new development of joining the APC, which will be witnessed by 18 APC governors, the governor will come along with all the national and state assembly members as well as the PDP executives from all levels of the state.”
