Deborah Akinyosoye
Six serving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the Zamfara House of Assembly have announced their defection to the ruling APC.
They cited alleged disregard and disrespect to the nation’s constitution by the State Legislature as some of the major reasons for abandoning the PDP.
The members made their decision known on Wednesday while sitting in Gusau, the state capital, after deliberating over the poor management of the legislative arm.
They said the arm had since compromised its duties by serving as an extension of the Governor’s office and a rubber stamp to Gov. Dauda Lawal.
The members tendered their separate letters before the factional Speaker, Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi.
They said that, having been illegally suspended for about two years now, which had also silenced their constituents as elected members, they had since formed a parallel assembly.
The defectors also said that they have been challenging the illegalities of both the so-called government-recognised faction and the executive.
The defected lawmakers included the factional Speaker, Hon. Bashar Gummi, member representing Gummi 1, Hon. Nasiru Maru, member representing Maru North, and Bashir Masama, Member representing Bukkuyum North.
The rest were: Hon. Bashir Bello, member representing Bungudu West, Hon. Amiru Keta, member representing Tsafe West, and Hon. Mukhtar Kaura, member representing Kaura-Namoda North.
They claimed that without them, the present faction of the legislature working with the governor had been making decisions and passing laws without forming the required quorum, and therefore, such laws were null and void.
They urged the National Assembly to investigate their case and take the right steps towards ensuring that order and rule of law are fully adhered to in the state legislature.
On their decision to join the opposition APC in the state, the lawmakers cited justice, fair play, harmony and inclusiveness as the attractions that drew them so that they can return and work for the growth and development of the state and the welfare of their constituents.
After reading all the defection letters, the factional Gummi said, “Following the receipt of defection letters from the six members, including myself, I wish to formally congratulate everyone of us for joining the Progressives in the country, that is, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“May the decision be the beginning of success and development of our dear state and Nigeria at large.
“I consider this bold decision as a wise one that will promote political stability of our dear nation into a more prosperous one.
“However, our collective decision to dump our former party (PDP) and join the APC marks a new political era in Zamfara where members of the ruling party defect to the opposition, which has changed the tradition.”
According to them, PDP in Zamfara is dead, adding, ” it is only waiting for burial arrangements in the country.
“This is because the current leadership has strayed from the party manifestos and the purpose of which its founding members put in place, where today, the party is battling with a protracted internal crisis that has already destroyed it at all levels.
“We cannot therefore trade our good reputation and political career to this collateral failure caused by selfish individuals and so we have exited in order to move forward.
“Incidentally, we all observed in our separate letters of defection from the PDP, our concern over Gov. Dauda Lawal’s nonchalance to the issue of insecurity in the state.
“This is as he perpetually busies and engulfs himself in his fight against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, against the backdrop that he (Dauda) perpetuates himself as governor beyond 2027.
“All these are taking place at a time when the PDP is in disarray and confused over who is its leader at the national level.
“Thus it is in pursuit of our fundamental right to the provisions of Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) that we take the decision to evade the PDP.”