The Zamfara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Office of the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG) have exchanged statements following the reported defection of Bello Nakwada, younger brother of the SSG, Malam Abubakar Muhammad Nakwada, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
In a statement issued by the APC Publicity Secretary in Zamfara State, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the opposition party announced that, Bello Nakwada had officially defected from the PDP, citing alleged high-handedness, unfair treatment, and lack of internal democracy within the ruling party as reasons for his decision.
According to the APC, Nakwada publicly distanced himself from the PDP-led administration in the state, including Governor Dauda Lawal and his elder brother, the SSG.
The party also disclosed that, a former PDP chairmanship aspirant for Gusau Local Government Area, Hassan Idris Gusau, also defected alongside Nakwada.
The APC said both politicians were received in Abuja by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, where they pledged loyalty to the APC leadership and commended the party’s unity and internal cohesion under leaders such as Dr. Matawalle and Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar.
Dr. Matawalle, while welcoming the defectors, assured them of full integration into the party and urged them to mobilise their supporters to participate in the ongoing APC e-registration exercise, describing it as vital ahead of future elections.
Reacting to the development, the Office of the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government dismissed the APC’s claims, described the publicity surrounding the defection as an attempt to manufacture political relevance amid what it termed internal challenges within the opposition party.
In a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the SSG, Sulaiman Ahmad Tudu, the government said the APC deliberately linked the defection to the SSG in order to exaggerate its political significance.
The statement noted that the APC announcement came at a time when several influential party members were reportedly leaving the APC to align with Governor Dauda Lawal, including a former state chairman of the party, Alhaji Lawali Makaman Kaura, as well as youth leaders Jamilu Adamu Escape and Ramadan Mijinyawa, among others across the state.
The SSG’s office stressed that, Nigeria’s democracy allows individuals the freedom to belong to any political party of their choice, adding that, family relationships do not dictate political loyalty.
It further stated that, Malam Abubakar Muhammad Nakwada remains focused on supporting Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration and would not be distracted by political propaganda or personal decisions of relatives.
Drawing comparisons, the statement recalled instances where family members have belonged to opposing political parties, including at the national level, and questioned why the APC had remained silent over similar situations within its own leadership.
