The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Northern Elders Unity Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the Minister of State for Defence,
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Northern Elders Unity Forum has called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, over what it described as a desperate attempt to lure PDP supporters into defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in Zamfara State.
In a statement issued in Gusau after a meeting with party elders from Kaura Namoda, Zurmi, Tsafe, and Bungudu Local Government Areas, the National Secretary of the Forum, Dr. Abbas Sadauki (Dan Madamin Tofa), accused Matawalle of using “excess wealth” and undue influence to coerce PDP members especially party executives in Zamfara and Kaduna States into joining the APC.
Dr. Sadauki alleged that the minister’s actions were part of a broader strategy to weaken the PDP’s structures in the North-West ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such tactics undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Dismantling opposition groups in whatever manner is not a good omen for our democracy.
“Many loyal PDP members are being misled into believing there is a greener pasture in the APC, which is detrimental to the progress of genuine democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
He further urged President Tinubu to “urgently call Matawalle to order,” claiming that the minister’s ultimate aim was to “uproot the democratic structures” that promote fairness, justice, and cohesion within the political system.
Reports from Zamfara indicate that over 24,000 PDP members, including former executive members and elders across six local government areas, have defected to the APC in recent weeks.
The Forum expressed concern that some APC leaders have become “desperate to dominate the North-West’s political landscape” by offering financial incentives to lure PDP members, a move it described as unhealthy for Nigeria’s democratic growth.
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