PDP Crisis: Saraki speaks with Matawalle over possible defection
NEWS DIGEST – Dr. Bukola Saraki, the immediate past senate president, has revealed a conversation he had with Zamfara Governor, Bello Watawalle in the early hours of the day—presumably over his party switch comment.
Saraki took to his twitter page, @bukolasaraki, to intimate his followers with the development. “Earlier today, I had a long and useful conversation with my friend and brother, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State,” he tweeted.
This comes days after Governor Matawalle hinted he could be dumping the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the All progressive Congress, APC.
Matawalle, in a statement delivered by his media aide, Zailani Bappa, commended Governor David Umahi for taking the courage to leave the PDP for the APC.
Matawalle, who is serving his first term as governor under the platform of the PDP, mentioned how the lack of support from his PDP colleagues during the Zamfara gold controversy has him feeling a sense of hostility within the PDP.
He said: “Surprisingly, it is the APC Federal Government which has all the correct records on the gold mining issue that came out to defend me in this saga.
“As PDP colleagues, I expected the governors to contact me first and find out my own side of the story before unleashing their venom in the media.”
Matawalle warned that the party could be on the receiving end of the 2023 general elections if the recent “trend of generating bad blood” is left unabated.
The PDP has suffered multiple defections lately, notably Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Senator Elisha Abbo of Adamawa State. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has also warned opposition politicians to join the APC or “remain hungry.”
