Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara state has made his intention known to seek his re-election bid under a new political party, not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in view of the myriad of crises that have engulfed the party. To this end, he has summoned an emergency meeting of some of his cabinet members and stakeholders to advise him on the way forward.

A source privy to the meeting told the Nigerian Tribune that he met with the stakeholders on Friday night where strategic decisions were taken. The meeting, which took place at the Rescue Hall inside the Government House, Gusau, was attended by the chairman of the party, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Secretary to the State Government, and some elders of the party.

The meeting came after months of speculation and denials by the governor’s close aides and some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains who said the governor had made his intention known to join the APC.

Recall that a chieftain of APC, Musa Mailaya Mada, had disclosed that the governor had reached out to some APC leaders in Abuja about his plan to defect.

But the Friday emergency meeting, which the governor summoned, according to sources, ended any speculation associating the state governor with defection.

“The governor on Friday night invited stakeholders. He told them that he called for the meeting to discuss the way forward as the recent timetable release by INEC shows that political activities will commence in April,” the source said.

According to source he told the stakeholders that he intends to remain in PDP in spite of the crisis, saying he will wait for the outcome of the appeal before he will decide on the next line of action.

The meeting, however, unanimously asked the governor to leave PDP. But what was not resolved was the political party.

It was gathered from sources privy to the meeting that there were divergent views, as some stakeholders insisted that the governor remain in the party in view of the recent court victory, which confirmed the Turaki-led executives as the leaders of the party.

Other stakeholders contended that the governor should defect to the APC in view of the fact that he is the only man standing in the North West zone; all six governors are members of APC.

Sources disclosed that those pushing for the governor to defect to APC remarked that the governor should take advantage of the current division in the state chapter of the party, which will put the governor in an advantageous position.

While some stakeholders posited that the governor should defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in view of the fact that it appears the masses are not with the ruling APC, according to them, ADC is the strongest opposition party in the country.

Even though there’s no official confirmation from the state chapter of PDP, a party stalwart, Kabir Amadu Mai palace, stated that the meeting agreed for more consultations with other party members at the ward level, Local government.

It was also gathered a strategic committee will be formed after which the governor will make a pronouncement immediately after the Sallah (Eid al-Fitr). (Nigerian Tribune)

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