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By Nasir Kura
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, has commended the judiciary for standing up to the truth in seemingly declaring winner of the 2019 election.
Matawalle may have become the new governor-elect on Friday, being the candidate with the second highest number of votes from the last governorship election in the state.
This followed a five-member panel decision of the Supreme Court which nullified the All Progressives Congress victory over the party’s failure to conduct primaries, as contained in its constitution.
In a statement signed by one of his aides, Umar Mohammed, Matawalle said, “The judgement is a testimony that the judiciary has remained fair in the discharge of its responsibilities.
“I wish to congratulate the people of Zamfara State, especially PDP supporters, for remaining peaceful and orderly throughout the time we sought redress in the courts.
“I assure you that we will not fail in this confidence reposed in us and I want to appeal to all people in the state to continue to be law-abiding as we transit into the new government,” he said.
Also reacting to the new development, the state’s outgoing Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Wakkala, commended the Supreme Court judgement, describing it as “a landmark achievement for the nation’s democracy. ”
Wakkala, who contested for the governorship position but lost out because he was not supported by his principal (the outgoing governor Abdulaziz Yari), later joined seven other aspirants all within the APC and formed a faction which fought the governor and his supporters.
Meanwhile, supporters of the PDP as well as those of other political parties in the state have taken to the streets in jubilation over the Supreme Court announcement.
