The All Progressives Congress (APC) North-West Zone has strongly denounced the actions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Government in Zamfara State concerning the former governor of the state and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
Speaking to journalists at the party’s Zonal Office in Kaduna, Garba Datti, APC National Vice Chairman for the North West, expressed his dismay. He emphasized that since Matawalle left office on 29th May 2023, the new administration under Dauda Lawal has relentlessly tarnished Matawalle’s reputation instead of addressing the dire security challenges that have brought the state to a standstill.
“The APC North West utterly condemns the protest organized by individuals masquerading as civil society groups, who were clearly sponsored by the state, at the National Assembly. Their aim was to demand the removal of Matawalle from the Federal Executive Council. This display was not only dishonest but also an exercise in futility,” Datti declared.
The APC firmly stands behind Matawalle, recognizing his political significance and his role as the North-West Campaign Coordinator for the 2023 Presidential Elections. Datti expressed his confidence in President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that he understands the threat posed by an opposition party’s demand to disown one of their own.
“Matawalle’s immense contributions were pivotal in securing the highest number of votes for our party in the North-West, thereby securing the presidency with relative ease,” Datti added.
Datti further revealed that Matawalle served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Security, Public Safety and Intelligence from 2011 to 2015. He emphasized that President Buhari himself recognized Matawalle’s worth and appointed him as a minister.
The APC North-West firmly believes in Matawalle’s integrity and patriotism, even in the face of the government-sponsored protests at the EFCC headquarters calling for him to be investigated and excluded from the ministerial list.
“We have observed that the Zamfara State government’s primary achievement since its inception is to consistently vilify Matawalle. Most press releases from the government house in Gusau are deliberately crafted to cast aspersions on the character of Bello Matawalle,” Datti highlighted.
He concluded by dismissing the allegations made against Matawalle by the PDP Government in Zamfara, stating that they are merely attempts to gain political advantage.
“It should be known that, like any other ministerial nominee, Matawalle went through rigorous security scrutiny before being screened and confirmed by the Senate for his appointment as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Datti concluded. (NAN)
