The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised commercial banks and other financial institutions to ensure they do not aid alleged illicit financial transactions with Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, and other appointed aides and politically exposed persons in the state following the governor’s defection to All Progressive Congress Party (APC).
For the main opposition party, both commercial banks and other financial institutions across the state would have to stay away from encouraging politicians who may possibly use the transition process to allegedly pillage the state’s treasury.
The PDP urged the financial institutions to be wary of unapproved financial transactions with the cronies of Matawalle, particularly, given the alleged moves to sweep the coffers of the state ahead of Matawalle’s inevitable eviction by the court.
According to the party, such institutions should be very circumspect in their dealings with impostors who have since ceased to represent the state, immediately Matawalle defected to the APC.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, through a statement on Sunday, also condemned the reported attempt by the police to undermine the statutory powers of the state’s Deputy Governor, Mahdi Gusau, given the decision of the governor to vacate his office by decamping to APC.
“PDP’s position is predicated on the reported harassment of the Deputy Governor by the police, including an unlawful and vexatious obstruction of a planned rally by the Deputy Governor, despite the statutory powers vested in a situation where the governor has vacated his office, in line with the extant ruling of the Supreme Court.
“Instead of harassing Deputy Governor Gusau, the police, as agents of the law, should be providing him all the protection and privileges, particularly as the formal process for his official declaration given the vacation of office by Matawalle has already commenced at the Federal High Court.
“The Police should know that by virtue of section 221 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the judgment of the Supreme Court in Falake v. INEC (2016), that the Zamfara governorship mandate belongs to the PDP and that Gusau, not Matawalle, is now the holder of that mandate, given Matawalle’s willful defection to the APC. The PDP’s mandate is in no way transferable to the APC and the police and all security agencies should be guided by this,” the statement said.
The opposition party, however, urged PDP to remain resolute and not be deterred saying the people of Zamfara are solidly behind him in resisting imposters and deserters at this trying time.
The party also urged the people of Zamfara to remain united as the mandate, which they willingly gave to the PDP, would never be allowed to be stolen by traitors.
