By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The Northern Elders Unity Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, of “reckless and undemocratic tactics” used to lure PDP members into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
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The Forum accused Matawalle of using state influence and excessive wealth to coerce PDP supporters, including elected and party executives, into joining the APC, a move it said was aimed at weakening the opposition and destabilizing democratic balance in the region.
The elders made the claim in a statement on Saturday by the Forum’s National Secretary, Dr. Abbas Sadauki (Dan Madamin Tofa), after a strategic meeting of PDP elders from Kaura Namoda, Zurmi, Tsafe, and Bungudu local governments.
The group alleged that Matawalle’s actions were part of a calculated political agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Matawalle has embarked on a desperate mission to dismantle the PDP structure in Zamfara and across the North-West.
“His antecedents of using power and appointments to induce defections have created leadership vacuums and threatened the growth of democracy in our region,” Dr. Sadauki stated.
The Forum expressed concern that the ongoing defection campaign is misleading many loyal PDP members with false promises of greener pastures in the APC, warning that such actions undermine political fairness, justice, and Nigeria’s democratic progress.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently call Matawalle to order. His excessive interference and political desperation pose a serious danger to democracy and the principle of fair political competition in Nigeria,” the statement added.
Reports from Zamfara indicate that over 24,000 PDP members, including former party executives and elders across six local government areas have so far defected to the APC.
The Forum alleged that some APC leaders are resorting to financial inducements and promises of appointments to win over PDP supporters, describing the move as “an act of political desperation that threatens the foundation of multiparty democracy in Nigeria.”
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