A lawsuit seeking to remove Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, from office has been dismissed by a Federal High Court in Gusau.

The lawsuit was filed by some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state after he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Bappa Aliyu who presided over the case, said the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.

Aliyu also stated that since it was neither a pre-election nor post-election matter, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not prohibit a governor from defecting from a party.

Adding that the constitutions of the APC and PDP do not make it unlawful for a governor to decide and defect to any other constitutionally recognised political party operating within the country, the high court Judge also averred that the suit should have been filed before an election petitions tribunal. 

He also said that only the tribunal or the State House of Assembly has the power to remove the governor on the grounds of defection.