Zamfara dep gov is architect of his problems, state APC spokesman defends impeachment moves

The Publicity Secretary of the Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Yusuf Idris chided the deputy governor of the state, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau as the tussle between him and Governor Bello Matawalle shows no sign of abating.

According to the party’s mouthpiece in the state, the deputy governor is responsible for whatever problems he was facing in the state, especially the moves by the state assembly to impeach him.

The deputy governor had been on the warpath with Matawalle since the latter decamped from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

He is currently facing an impeachment threat from the state’s House of Assembly, a move alleged to be orchestrated by the governor.

Aliyu, who has been served an impeachment notice by the house, is being accused of abuse of office, criminal self enrichment using public funds and failure to discharge official duties.

Speaking on Channels television on Tuesday, the publicity secretary of the APC in Zamfara, opined that Aliyu had the tendency to commit the crimes leveled against him by the assembly.

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“I didn’t know him before he became Deputy governor, but since I have known him as the deputy governor, I think he has the tendency to commit those crimes,” he said.

Idris argued that the governor, or the APC has no hand in the impeachment process initiated against Aliyu, stressing that the assembly was only performing its constitutional duties.

“I am not speaking on behalf of the house, nor on behalf of the Zamfara state government, but on behalf of the All Progressive Congress in Zamfara, which is the party in power in the state. We (APC) are not planning to impeach the deputy governor, the House of Assembly is exercising its powers as sanctioned by the constitution.”

Idris maintained that Aliyu “started misbehaving” after his boss crossed carpet to the APC. He added that “the deputy governor is the architect of his problems.

“The house of assembly is accusing him of abuse of office, and criminal self-enrichment which are against the constitution. So the governor does not have a hand in this.”

When asked how the deputy governor had abused his office, the APC spokesperson said “he (Aliyu) used to leave the state without the permission of the governor; he also doesn’t participate in the policies of the government.”

When asked his opinion on the security efforts of the governor, Idris hailed Matawalle for “doing his best in tackling insecurity in the state”

Despite recent attacks by terror groups in the state, with over 200 killed and thousands displaced in a month, Idris argued that the governor “has recorded tremendous success”

“You can now move freely in the capital,” he boasted.

By Oluwatobi Odeyinka

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