A Group of Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State has urged Gov. Aminu Tambuwal to resign his position as governor following his defection to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from All Progressive Congress (APC).
Addressing newsmen on Sunday, the group Coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, described Tambuwal’s exit from APC as a betrayal of the people’s mandate given him in the 2015 general elections.
Abdullahi said Tambuwal’s election was not because of his popularity among the people but because of the circumstances that PDP led Nigeria into then and the contributions of Sen. Aliyu Wamakko and President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We are speaking on behalf of Sokoto people that we are totally against Tambuwal’s decision to join PDP and we want him to immediately return our mandate by resigning his position as governor,’’ Abdullahi said.
He called for an investigation into the alleged bribery of 18 lawmakers to join PDP with Tambuwal and sponsorship of people from the 23 local government areas to attend the Aug. 1 event at which the governor defected.
The coordinator called on Tambuwal to either confirm or deny the allegations, including the claim that the governor spent five million naira on each of the local government to transport people to the event.
He added that the group would begin educating people to recall any lawmaker that followed Tambuwal’s actions, while decrying that Nigerians Constitution should accommodate recall process of elected governor.
Abdullahi described Tambuwal’s comments on Federal Government not executing any project in Sokoto as misleading.
He listed the establishment of 8 Division of Nigerian Army, N8.7 billion FGN/CBN Intervention programnme in agriculture among others as Buhari’s good work to Sokoto people.
Abdullahi also urged Tambuwal to account for N18.3 billion Paris Club refunds and N10.09 Salary/Pension arrears settlement facilities given by the Federal Government.
He traced the history of Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker House of Representatives, his governorship contest with his brother Sen. Umaru Dahiru-Tambuwal and support he enjoyed from Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.
Others in attendance at the conference were Retired Squadron Leader, Aminu Bala-Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Gidan-Bango, Alhaji Usman Hassan and Alhaji Mu’azu Maigwanjo among others.
