Zamfara: Gov Dauda sponsoring people to lie against me – Minister of State for Defence
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has strongly refuted allegations of orchestrating false claims against him, which could lead to his removal as a minister. These allegations, initially raised by the Zamfara State Government, have added to the ongoing political tensions in the region.
Matawalle, who previously served as the governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023, faced a significant defeat in his bid for a second term in March to Mr. Dauda, who represents the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The accusations against Matawalle primarily involve financial impropriety, particularly related to the state’s cargo airport project. The Zamfara State Government has alleged embezzlement of funds designated for this project. This includes claims that Matawalle instructed the Ministry of Local Government to withdraw a substantial amount from the local government joint account on October 25, 2021, and subsequently paid N825 million to contractors without proper valuation.
In a recent interview, Matawalle pushed back against these allegations, vehemently accusing Governor Lawal Dauda of orchestrating false claims against him. He maintained that the state’s challenges predate his administration and are not a result of his governance.
The controversy surrounding the airport road project was also addressed by Matawalle. He alleged that Governor Dauda, after taking office, initially promised to repair the airport road but instead deployed a bulldozer to dismantle the road that Matawalle had previously constructed.
Matawalle contended that the governor’s actions, including the abandonment of critical infrastructure projects like the Ruga project, have not only deceived the people of Zamfara but have also had detrimental effects on their lives and well-being.
He further pointed out that the state’s development projects incurred significant costs, with the airport road project alone amounting to over N4 billion. Matawalle emphasized that Governor Dauda’s actions were intended to discredit him and damage his reputation while destroying crucial infrastructure in the state to support the allegations.
The ongoing political tensions and accusations in Zamfara continue to contribute to the complex political landscape in the state.
