Gov Matawalle has defected to APC, Buhari’s aide claims

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has finally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad.

Daily Trust had reported how the governor has been making moves to join the ruling party.

• Don’t worsen our plight, family of Super TV CEO begs Nigerians
• Anxiety in Yari’s camp as Matawalle concludes plans to join APC

Two weeks ago, a top ally of the governor had told Daily Trust that barring any last minute change, Matawalle would join APC before the end of June.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Ahmad wrote: “So Zamfara is back home, Welcome Matawalle.”

Matawalle has been silent on his defection moves although his body language shows he is on his way out of the opposition party.

A party source told Daily Trust that plans are in top gear to formally welcome Matawalle to the APC on Tuesday.

“On Tuesday, a reception would be held in Gusau to formally welcome Governor Matawalle to the APC,” the source said.

The Zamfara governor has avoided PDP gatherings of late.

Two weeks ago, when PDP governors in company of Uche Secondus, the party’s national chairman, stormed Uyo, Akwa Ibom capital, for a meeting, the Zamfara governor was conspicuously absent.

He sent his deputy to represent him.

When PDP governors also welcomed former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State to the party from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Matawalle also sent his deputy to represent him.

Matawalle became governor after the Supreme Court ruled on the internal squabble that rocked the APC in 2019.

The court had annulled the votes of the APC in the 2019 elections on the grounds that the party was not eligible to field candidates over its inability to conduct primaries.