APC Governors Visit Bello Matawalle Ahead Of ‘Defection’

Ahead of the imminent defection of Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and governor of Kebbi state, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu yesterday led a delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) bigwigs to Zamfara state.

Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee and Yobe state governor, Mai Mala Buni, as well as Jigawa state governor, Abubakar Badaru were also part of those who visited Zamfara, where they commiserated with governor Matawalle over a recent market fire in Gusau, the state capital.

Leader of the delegation, Governor Atiku Bagudu acknowledged the efforts of Governor Matawalle in ensuring the return of peace in the state and offered support and solidarity through a donation of N50 million to the victims calling on the general public to be more careful in order to prevent a recurrence.

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Responding, Governor Matawalle commended the three APC governors for the gesture which he noted his colleagues from the PDP had not done and assured that it would be reciprocated.

“This is a strategy from and by the APC, and Zamfara as a no man’s land will continue to welcome you and we will not care what negative things other people will say but we expect you to also extend our appreciation to our President, Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

But credible sources told Daily Trust last night that beyond the sympathy visit, the APC governors also finalized talks on the planned defection of Governor Matawalle from the PDP to the APC.

Governor Matawalle had commended his Ebonyi state counterpart, Governor Dave Umahi, for defecting from the PDP to the APC, in November last year.