Defection: Group calls on Tambuwal to resign

A Group of ‘Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State’ has called on Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal to resign his position as governor following his defection to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the group Coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, described Tambuwal’s exit from APC as betrayal of people’s mandate as given him in the 2015 election.

Abdullahi said Tambuwal’s emergence as Governor was not that he was popularly accepted by people of Sokoto, but because of the circumstances that PDP led Nigeria into then, as well as, contribution of Senator Aliyu Wamakko and President Muhammad Buhari.

“We are speaking on behalf of Sokoto people that we are totally against Tambuwal’s decision to join PDP and we want him to immediately return our mandate by resigning his position as governor,’’ Abdullahi said.

He called on the authorities to investigate the alleged bribery of 18 lawmakers to join PDP along with Tambuwal and sponsoring of people from the 23 Local Government Areas to attend Aug. 1, decamping event at Sokoto Government House.

The group Coordinator called on Tambuwal to either confirm or deny the allegations stressing that it was said that N5 million was spent on each of the Local Government to transport people to the event.

He added that the group would begin educating people to recall any lawmaker that followed Tambuwal’s actions, while suggesting that Nigeria’s Constitution should accommodate recall process of elected governor.

Abdullahi described Tambuwal’s comments on Federal Government not executing any project in Sokoto as misleading.

He listed establishment of 8 Division of Nigerian Army, N8.7 billion FGN/CBN Intervention programnme in agriculture among others as Buhari’s good work to Sokoto people.

Abdullahi also urged Governor Tambuwal to account for N18.3 billion Paris Club refunds and N10.09 billion Salary/Pension arrears settlement facilities given by the Federal Government.

He traced the history of Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker House of Representatives, his governorship contest with his brother Sen. Umaru Dahiru-Tambuwal and the support he enjoyed from Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

Others in attendance at the conference were Retired Sqd. Leader, Aminu Bala-Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Gidan-Bango, Alhaji Usman Hassan and Alhaji Mu’azu Maigwanjo.