Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu of Zamfara has slammed Governor Bello Matawalle over the state’s “standstill” education system, urging him to focus on returning schoolchildren to the classroom instead of trying to destabilise the PDP.

On Monday night, the deputy governor stated this at the end of the PDP congress, in which Bala Mande emerged as the party chairman in Zamfara.

Mr Aliyu urged the governor to leave the PDP alone and concentrate on tackling the state’s challenges.

The Zamfara deputy governor implored Mr Matawalle to provide the state with meaningful development, adding that “the education of our children remained at a standstill.”

Mr Aliyu expressed concern at the “way and manner“ PDP was treated in the state following the defection of the state governor to the APC.

Mr Aliyu described the PDP as law-abiding, pointing out that it has the constitutional right to exist in Zamfara. He pledged to build a new PDP in the state using vibrant and intellectually-oriented youths.

He added that this would enable the party to take over the state’s leadership after the 2023 general elections.

Mr Mande, the new PDP chairman in Zamfara, said the new party leadership was determined to bring developmental changes to the party and the state.

He mentioned that PDP would continue to be orderly in its operations.

The PDP had rescheduled its congress twice before it was held on Monday.

The party had to relocate to another venue as the initial venue selected for the congress was attacked by unidentified people and set alight.

Apart from Mr Mande, the newly elected executives included Kabir Jabaka (deputy chairman), Faruk Ahmed (secretary), Abdullahi Salmanu (youths leader) and Abba Bello (publicity secretary).

Others were Madina Shehu (women leader); Usama Maharazu (treasurer); Saidu Baidu (auditor) and Shaaibu Attahiru (legal adviser); Abdul Mustapha (vice-chairman, Zamfara Central); Ali Namoda (vice-chairman, Zamfara North) and Muazu Gwashi (vice-chairman Zamfara South).

(NAN)