Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has conveyed his confidence in winning the rerun mandated by the court in the state. He expressed that the state’s residents have faith in his ability to govern and emphasized that he is unafraid of the upcoming election.
This follows a declaration by the Court of Appeal in Abuja that the state governorship election was inconclusive after Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party was initially declared the winner.
However, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Bello Matawalle, challenged the outcome of the March 18 governorship election at the tribunal but his petition was dismissed for lacking in merit.
The Court of Appeal, however, declared the election inconclusive and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to hold a fresh election in two local governments.
Returning on Monday, from an official foreign trip, the governor was welcomed by supporters upon his arrival in Gusau, the state capital.
He was in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, alongside other six governors from the North West where they held a meeting with officials of the African Development Bank as of the time the judgment of the appeal court was delivered.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, in a statement on Tuesday, described the crowd that received the governor as a testament to the high level of trust in his administration.
Idris said, “Governor Lawal’s government garnered immense support from the people of Zamfara, who displayed their affection as a show of solidarity.
“While returning to Zamfara from an official trip in Abidjan, Governor Dauda Lawal was received by an unprecedented crowd of people.
“Governor Lawal’s convoy was welcomed by a massive crowd from the Tsafe Local Government area to Gusau, the state capital.”
The governor’s spokesman then quoted his principal as telling his supporters at the state secretariat of the PDP that the people of the state have placed their trust in his leadership.
He was said to have vowed to work tirelessly to honour that confidence.
“We are not afraid of a re-run. The people of Zamfara have entrusted us with their votes.
“We are prepared and optimistic even if the election occurs tomorrow, we are ready to go to Maradun Local Government Area.
“We are fully committed to our rescue mission, and no obstacle can impede our determination and focus,” the governor was quoted as saying.
