PDP Says Presidency Intimidated Matawalle Into Joining APC

Governors elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Thursday, raised an alarm over what they called the harassment and intimidation of opposition governors, “by the Federal Government-led All Progressives Congress, APC”.

They raised the alarm against the backdrop of the recent defection of Zamfara State governor,  Bello Matawalle, saying he was literally forced to make the move.

In a statement signed by Cyril “CID” Maduabum, Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, the state chief executives asked the Federal Government to face the task of ridding the nation of terrorism, hunger and unemployment, rather than dissipating energy in poaching opposition leaders.

The statement read: “It is quite distressing and shameful to watch PDP governors and some other stakeholders who are literally forced to join APC being paraded at the Presidential Villa like captured persons, immediately after their acquisition as culprits by the APC.

“Admittedly, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but the immorality of it all is quite nauseating.

“No principles are involved or invoked. It doesn’t matter whether you are a convicted criminal or a wanted person by security agencies.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are fingered in various investigations like the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, scams; the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, probes, or other accusations of fleecing the nation of billions of naira.

“The PDP Governors’ Forum has noted the seeming capture of one of the governors of PDP by the APC and the federal government by deploying unlawful threats, intimidation and outright underhand tactics.

“When Mr. President directly and pre-judicially regretted in his recent interview that Zamfara State is governed by another party other than his own, it was a clear subtle threat to the governor of the state to join him or face consequences.

“Earlier, all sorts of threats had been deployed by the illegal APC Caretaker /National Convention Planning Committee whose only job seems to be to just lure PDP governors and other PDP stakeholders, abandoning in the process their mandate of organising a national convention.

“Supporting Zamfara and other affected states to tackle insecurity shouldn’t be politicised nor should joining APC be a subtle condition precedent for security or other assistance.

“We remember the infamous statement by the former APC national chairman that once you join APC, all your sins will be forgiven by the powers that be.

“This appears to be the guiding principle of Mr. President and APC.”