I will reclaim my stolen mandate in Zamfara – PDP guber candidate

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the March 9, governorship election in Zamfara State, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has said he would reclaim his “stolen mandate” at the Elections Petition Tribunal.

Dr. Matawalle, who lost to the candidate of the APC, Hon. Muktar Idris, according to result announced by INEC, told newsmen Friday, in Abuja, that he was sure the court would rule in his favour based on available facts and figures at his disposal.

He said his victory was “fraudulently tilted” in favour of the APC candidate, Hon. Muktar Idris, saying there was “massive atrocities and malpractices that hugely characterized the election” in all the local government areas of the state.

“Despite INEC indictment that primary election did not hold in the state and Zamfara APC will not take part in the 2019 general election, the governor (Abdulazeez Yari) threatened not to allow the election to hold in the state if APC is not included in the election.

“The federal government supported the governor through the Minister of Justice and initiated an appeal judgment that put aside the Federal High Court judgment.

“Two days before the election, INEC announced that, based on a court Order, the Zamfara APC will participate in the election. The governorship and state assembly elections were preoccupied with rigging and intimidation.

“A dream doesn’t become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. We think our democracy has taken a long time to mature for more than two decades.

“But it appears that today, those who used to claim decency and honesty have taken a step further to uproot our democracy,” he said.