Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has dismissed speculation that he plans to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring instead that he is confident of defeating his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, again in 2027, even ?before 10 a.m. on the election day.?

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, Lawal addressed growing rumours suggesting he might defect to the APC.

He reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, stating he had no plans to leave.

?I?m still in the PDP, and I have no intention of going anywhere for now,? he said.

Lawal said calls and overtures from the APC and other political forces were mere distractions, noting that the same alliance of political heavyweights failed to stop him in 2023.

?When I contested in 2023, all these forces were there?Sani Yerima, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, Abdulaziz Yari, Matawalle?they were all in APC, and I still won,? he said. ?I?m not afraid of them in 2027. Power comes only from God.?

Responding to reports that Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence, is gearing up for a comeback, Lawal said he welcomed the challenge.

?I?m praying to God that Matawalle emerges the APC candidate in 2027. Let?s see what happens,? he said. ?By 10 a.m. on election day, it should be a walkover, Insha Allah.?

Asked if Matawalle posed any threat, Lawal replied: ?I don?t see him as a threat in any way. I won?t lose sleep over Matawalle.?

He said nothing had changed since the last election that would give the former governor an edge. ?What has he done differently that he didn?t do before??

The former governor has yet to react to this as of the time of publication.

On the PDP?s internal crisis and recent defections to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Lawal said no political party in Nigeria is without issues.

?There?s no political party today that doesn?t have one form of crisis or another. The PDP is not an exception,? he said.

He noted that the PDP was actively working to resolve its internal differences and had scheduled another National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for July 23.

?We?re ready and committed. In fact, it?s better for some of these people to leave, so we can rebuild a stronger party,? he added.

Lawal dismissed concerns that the party?s national-level turmoil could affect his chances in Zamfara, pointing out that the same conditions existed in 2023 when he unseated the APC government.

?It was the same scenario that played out in 2023. With all the forces the APC had, I still emerged as governor,? he said.

He also expressed confidence that the PDP would field a formidable presidential candidate in 2027. ?We?re not scared of anybody. While some people are leaving, others are joining the party.?

On his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lawal said they maintained mutual respect despite their party differences.

?I?m also a friend of President Tinubu. We still maintain a very good relationship. He?s the president, and I respect him as such,? he said.

He added that Matawalle?s appointment as a minister in Tinubu?s cabinet had not strained his own rapport with the president.

?Nothing has changed between me and Mr. President. We work together. I need the president on certain matters, and we collaborate. I have no issues,? he said.

When asked whether his friendship with Tinubu might evolve into a political alignment in the future, Lawal said it was too early to speculate.

?Well, let?s see how events unfold. There?s still time to 2027. We?re just two years down the line,? he said. (Daily Trust)

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