ZAMFARA: Stop poaching our governors, PDP tells APC

THE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has advised the All Progressives Congress to stop playing politics with the misfortune of people.

The forum said instead of offering genuine sympathy to the victims of Tundun Wada Market fire incident, the APC is trying to get political mileage from a tragic occurrence.

Chairman of the forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, stated this when he led a delegation of PDP governors on a commiseration visit to the Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle in Gusau yesterday.

Tambuwal, who was accompanied on the visit by the governors of Rivers, Oyo, Taraba, Bauchi and Adamawa, warned the APC to stop poaching its governors.

The Sokoto State governor said playing petty politics with people’s misfortune would only compound the problems Zamfara State has been grappling with recently.

He said, “We as leaders must always remain as leaders in providing leadership and know where and when and how to play politics.

“How many lives have been lost from when APC was in charge of this Government House till now. How many of them came here to commiserate with the people of Zamfara State. Even those of us that are neighbours.”

Tambuwal announced the donation of N100 million from PDP governors to the victims of the recent Tudun Wada market fire incident.

The APC governors had earlier during their visit on Tuesday pledged N50m for the Governor to assist the victims.

Tambuwal assured the people of Zamfara State that the PDP will continue to stand by them.

“This is our home. We the governors of PDP are not visitors. We are fully home and no visitor can replace or supplant the home owner.

“We have come home, not as visitors but as owners of this home to commiserate with our own people who have been affected by this inferno. I pity any leader who seeks to take advantage of a misfortune to play politics,” Tambuwal said.

Governor of Rivers, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, advised the APC to concentrate on solving the challenges confronting Nigeria and stop poaching PDP governors.

“All of us know today the level of insecurity in Nigeria. Instead of the party (APC) to concentrate and fight insecurity, what the party is doing is moving from one state to the other to poach people.

“Now, you can imagine the insult, a party in Federal government that declared Zamfara a no-flight zone, the same party is coming to woo you to join them. I can’t understand it.”

Governor Wike urged his Zamfara counterpart not to be intimidated by the antics of the APC, which he accused of fuelling the crisis in the state.

He asked Governor Matawalle to remain focused and steadfast as God will continue to sustain him in office against all odds.

“The God that made you the Governor of Zamfara when everybody had lost hope, that God has not abandoned you. So you will win. Nobody should intimidate you. No PDP Governor can be intimidated.”

Matawalle thanked his colleagues for the visit and expressed profound appreciation of the people of the State for their kind gesture.

He assured the delegation that Zamfara State will remain a steadfast PDP State.

The allegation from the PDP governors may not be unconnected with the speculation that that Governor Matawalle may defect to the ruling APC.

The speculation became rife last week following the visit of some APC stalwarts to Zamfara State.