Nigeria, March 10 -- The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has welcomed the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Lawal announced his exit from the PDP on Monday. In a statement issued by his media aide, Nuhu Anka, the governor attributed the move to "prolonged internal crises, leadership disagreements, and unresolved structural challenges" within the PDP at both the national and state levels.

Mr Matawalle, who served as the state's immediate past governor, described the development as a "political reunion" that marks a historic turning point for Zamfara.

"Today marks a historic moment in the political...