APC accuses Zamfara govt of engaging in campaign of calumny against Matawalle

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-West Zone has issued a strong condemnation of the actions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in Zamfara State about issues that pertain to Bello Matawalle, who served as governor of Zamfara State most recently and is now the Minister of State for Defence.

The statement of condemnation was issued on Saturday by Garba Datti, who is the APC National Vice Chairman for the North West. He said so while addressing journalists at the Zonal Office of the party in Kaduna.

Datti stated that APC North West was aware of the fact that, ever since Matawalle stepped down from his position as governor on May 29th, 2023, the new administration of Dauda Lawal has made it its primary role to drag Matawalle’s name through the mud at any cost, rather than addressing the unsightly security challenges that have brought the state to a standstill.

“The APC North West considered the protest conducted by some hoodlums parading as civil society groups funded by the state at the National Assembly to demand the removal of Matawalle from the Federal Executive Council as not only being dishonest but also a fruitless exercise. The protesters demanded that Matawalle be removed from his position on the FEC.

“APC consequently condemned in its whole such a shameful exhibition of conduct by the so-called civil society groups.

“President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a core politician, understands very well that whenever an opposition party asked you to disown one of your own, certainly that person pose a threat to everything that they stand for,” Datti continued.

He stated that APC thought that the president was aware of Matawalle’s political value and pedigree, which gained him the position of North-West Campaign Coordinator for the 2023 Presidential Elections. He said that this belief was supported by the fact that Matawalle was given this position.

“His immense contribution resulted in the region posting the highest number of votes that gave our party the edge we needed to clinch the presidency with relative ease,” he added. “This was made possible by the fact that the region posted the highest number of electoral college votes.”

Datti went on to reveal that Matawalle had served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Security, Public Safety and Intelligence between the years 2011 and 2015, and she went on to say that “the President, therefore, knows his worth and capacity,” which is why the President nominated Matawalle for a ministerial position.

“APC North-West insists that Matawalle’s integrity and patriotism in the eyes of whoever knows him closely stood out for him even when Dauda’s government sponsored hoodlums with placards protested at EFCC headquarters that Matawalle must be investigated to prevent him from making the ministerial list. Matawalle must be investigated to prevent him from making the ministerial list.

“We follow closely and understand that the greatest achievement of the current administration in Zamfara since its inception is painting Matawalle black at all times. This is something that we have observed, and we understand.”

“The majority of press releases coming from the state government house in Gusau were carefully crafted in order to cast doubt on the character of Bello Matawalle,” the statement read.

“Every allegation made on Matawalle by the PDP Government in Zamfara that he has tie with bandits is just an attempt to score cheap political points,” Matawalle said in response to the claims.

“They should know that like any other ministerial nominee, Matawalle went through rigorous security secrutiny before being screened and confirmed by the Senate to be appointed as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Datti said. “They should know that like any other ministerial nominee, Matawalle was screened and confirmed by the Senate to be appointed as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” (NAN)