Wamakko: Tambuwal’s Defection to PDP Worst Decision of His Life

By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

A former governor of Sokoto State and the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, Thursday described the defection of Governor Aminu Tambuwal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the worst decision of his life.

Wamakko was reacting to Wednesday’s defection of Governor Tambuwal to the PDP, alongside 18 members of the state House of Assembly and other supporters.

He said the decision by Tambuwal to dump the APC was hasty and a mistake.

Wamakko posited that the governor did not consider the yearnings of the people before defecting from the ruling party.

“I think may be something else is guiding his decision. This is the worst decision he has taken in his life.

”At his age, he should not be in a hurry. He is a fine young politician, I have a lot of respect for him.

”If he had taken the consideration of the people he is representing, the people of Sokoto State, he should not have moved to the PDP,” he said.

Wamakko, who represents Sokoto North Senatorial District, said the people of the state are solidly behind him and other senators as well as the House of Representatives members that resolved to remain in the APC.

”Whatever crowd you might have seen or told, just take it as a mere story. As a matter of principle, it is not in my character to abuse people, but what I am assuring you is that, Sokoto State is an APC state,” he said.

The lawmaker maintained that in the next few days, Nigerians would know who is really in charge of Sokoto State.

Wamakko recalled that Tambuwal was part of the crusade about dumping the PDP in 2015, but noted that there was nothing about PDP as a party now.

He expressed hope that Tambuwal would rescind his decision and come back to the APC.

According to him, the recent gale of defections at the National Assembly had not made the APC a minority party, contrary to the general assumptions of Nigerians.

Wamakko said the defections were a good omen for the party and that the APC was currently making stocktaking, hence, would soon come out stronger.

He promised that most of the defectors were trying to come back into its fold, adding: ”In the next few days or months, Nigerians would be surprised how the APC is going to fare.”

Wamakko emphasised that the current flurry of defections were common since the return of democracy in 1999.

”That is the beauty of democracy. People should be given the freedom to be where they want to be . It is nothing unusual,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state Deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, seven House of Representatives members, 12 other members of the state House of Assembly have vowed to remain in the APC.