- Lawal: “If I were You I would Have Resigned by Now, based on the Allegations…”
- Matawalle: “You Lied, I Never Sponsored Bandits…I challenge you to Swear As I did”
By kawaekwune Jeffrey
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and his immediate predecessor, the incumbent Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle are currently locked in a serious battle of words over insecurity in the state.
Matawalle first came under fire after Lawal fired the first salvo telling the minister to resign from his position in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over alleged connection with banditry in Zamfara State.
The Zamfara governor, who spoke with the press, accused Matawalle of procuring vehicles for bandits, during his administration as the governor of the state. According to Lawal, the former governor allegedly kept bandits at the Zamfara State government house, alleging that ransom was paid to terrorists through the State government.
He said: “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.
“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a minister.
“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”
However, in a swift response, Matawalle dismissed all the allegations as tissues of lies fabricated by the governor and other politicians in the State just to taint his hard earned reputation. The minister also challenged the governor to present concrete evidence of his alleged connection with bandits in Zamfara State.
Matawalle, who spoke openly with the press defended his record while in office as governor , stressing that his administration’s decision to engage in dialogue with bandits had resulted in the recovery of abducted persons and weapons in Zamfara State.
He further stated that his determination to confront those involved in inappropriate behavior in Zamfara state during his administration has also made him quite unpopular among those set of people.
In his words: ”Let me remind you I was the only governor that swore to the Holy Quran that I have no hand or connection with banditry or I am not happy with what is happening that if I am happy or if I am part of it or if I know those doing it or if I am collaborating with them God should not give me one-second grace.
“I have always acted in good faith, as have other governors who engaged in dialogue with bandits, including the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, and the Governor of Sokoto State. Yet, I seem to be singled out, perhaps because Zamfara is a complex state with terrible human beings with devilish ideas.
“The people who oppose me do so because I go after them. Yes, they are politicians, and I go after them.
“I challenged all the politicians, including General Ali Gusau and Dauda Lawal, to do the same. None of them could take the oath, and if they don’t take the oat that means they are part of it,”
