Six serving People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have announced their defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Announcing ther defection, the lawmakers cited disregard and disrespect to the nation’s constitution by the state legislature as some of the major reasons for abandoning the PDP.
The members jointly made their decision known on Wednesday, December 4, while sitting in Gusau, the state capital, after deliberations on the poor management of the legislative arm, which they said has since compromised its duties by serving as an extension of the governor’s office and a rubber stamp to Governor Dauda Lawal.
The members who tendered their separate letters before the factional Speaker, Honourable Bashar Aliyu Gummi, said, having been illegally suspended for about two years now, which has also silenced their constituents as elected members, they have since formed a parallel House of Assembly and have been challenging the illegalities of both the so-called government-recognised faction and the executive.
The defected lawmakers include the factional Speaker, Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi, member representing Gummi 1, Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru, member representing Maru North, Barr Bashir Abubakar Masama, Member representing Bukkuyum North, Hon. Bashir Bello, member representing Bungudu West, Hon. Amiru Ahmad Keta, member representing Tsafe West and Hon. Muktar Nasir Kaura, Member representing Kaura North.
They claimed that without them, the present faction of the legislature working with the Governor has been making decisions and passing laws without forming the required quorum, and therefore, such laws are null and void.
They urged the National Assembly to investigate their case and take the right steps towards ensuring that order and the 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 what attracted 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 by the Speaker Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi, said “Following the receipt of defection letters from the Six Hon. 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 a wise one that will promote the 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 state, where members of the ruling party defect to the opposition, which has changed the tradition.
“PDP is dead, it is only waiting for burial arrangements in the country because the current leadership is derailed from the party manifestos and the purpose for 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 Governor Dauda Lawal’s nonchalance to the issue of insecurity in the state as he perpetually busies and is engulfed in his fight against Hon Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed 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”, he further explained.
