Sokoto Court of Appeal dismisses case to remove Matawall

THE Sokoto Division Court of Appeal has dismissed the case brought before it by a former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahadi Aliyu Gusau, seeking the removal of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle, as state governor.

The Court of Appeal presided over by Judge A.A. Gumel on Wednesday upheld the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Gusau, which ruled that Matawall cannot be removed from office simply because he defected from the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous judgment, ruled that Matawalle has the right to defect to any political party of his choice.

The court held that the provision of the constitution was clear to that effect that no sanction was provided against a governor who defaults on another party. He also indicated that Matawall cannot leave his seat and that no court can impeach him simply because of his decision to defect to another political party of his choice.

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Similarly, the court, while rejecting the cross-appeal filed by Mahadi Aliyu Gusau, the deposed former vice-governor of the state, found that Mahadi Aliyu Gusau could not succeed Matawalle simply because he had defected from the PDP to the APC.

The Court of Appeal therefore awarded costs of one million naira in favor of the first and second defendants in the main appeal.

Both judgments were delivered by Judge A.A Gumel, President of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division.

The other judges who endorsed the judgment were Judge Mukhtar and Judge Dan-Juma. Meanwhile, the Zamfara State APC expressed joy over the judgment.