PDP Supporters Welcome Matawalle’s Deputy With Cheers

Supporters of the People Democratic Party (PDP) trooped out to welcome the Zamfara Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau on Saturday after he refused to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) like the State Governor, Bello Matawalle.

Gatekeepers News reports that the PDP supporters, who came out in large numbers to welcome Gusau, blocked the Tsafe-Funtua road.

They carried placards with the inscriptions, like: “APC is prohibited for us, we remain in PDP,” “With Mahdi new Zamfara is possible,” “Zamfara is PDP, PDP is Zamfara.”

Gusau was accompanied by his father, Gen Aliyu Gusau, and PDP caretaker committee members.

The Deputy Governor, while addressing the party faithful at his residence, urged them to remain calm.

He assured that Matawalle’s defection would not affect the chances of the party in future elections.

Gusau noted that as the highest political office holder in the party, he has become the leader of the party in the State.

Gatekeepers News reports that he promised to do everything possible to reposition the party in the state, even as he solicited the cooperation of members of the party.

“As you all know, the recent political happening in the state, as the leader of the party, I would not relent in my effort in rebuilding the party,” he stated.

A PDP caretaker committee member and former publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Faruku Ahmad Gusau, who spoke to THISDAY said, the large crowd that came out in solidarity with the party showed that PDP was on ground in the state.

He stated that no amount of intimidation would make them defect to APC, saying people should watch, as PDP would soon bounce back in the state.

The former publicity secretary dismissed insinuations that all the state House of Assembly members had moved to APC with the governor.