The political landscape in Zamfara State has become increasingly tumultuous as a bitter feud between Governor Dauda Lawal and his predecessor, Bello Matawalle, who is now the Minister of State for Defence, intensifies.
The North West state, already burdened by the devastating effects of banditry, has seen their clash take a more heated turn, further complicating an already volatile situation.
The rift between Lawal and Matawalle, which originated from the 2023 governorship election where Lawal defeated Matawalle, has reached a new height in the past one week. This is as the two leaders publicly exchanged severe accusations and counterclaims, particularly on television platforms, raising the stakes of their conflict.
Matawalle appeared on Channels TV on Tuesday, apparently in response to the allegations made against him on the same station the previous week.
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Swear with Qur’an if you’re not linked with banditry, Minister tells gov
In a dramatic escalation, Matawalle not only refuted the charges but also challenged Governor Lawal to swear with the Holy Quran to prove his innocence regarding accusations of involvement in banditry.
“I was the only governor to swear on the Holy Quran that I have no hand in banditry,” Matawalle asserted.
“I challenged all 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 oath, that means they are part of it.”
Observers said Matawalle’s demand for a religious oath highlights the gravity of the accusations being traded and the heightened tensions between him and his predecessor.
Addressing the claim that he embezzled N240 billion, Matawalle dismissed it as “absurd,” explaining that the total funds available to his administration over his four-year term were significantly less.
He remarked, “If I say the person who said it is crazy, I know you are not crazy. During my four years as governor, I didn’t even receive that amount of money.”
Matawalle suggested that the accusation might be rooted in a failed contract involving Lawal from his time as governor.
He recounted a specific instance involving a fertiliser supply proposal brought by Lawal.
He claimed that Lawal, who owns a blending plant in Zamfara, failed to deliver on his promise despite being granted a letter of intent.
Matawalle said, “He begged me for the opportunity, and I granted it. My commissioner of Finance was contacted more than 200 times a day by Dauda, demanding payment. Initially, Dauda presented himself as a major supplier, but he failed to deliver.
“I requested just 10 trucks of fertiliser, but it took him seven months, and he still couldn’t provide it. Eventually, he approached me with bank papers, asking me to sign off on a certificate for his company to secure a bank facility.
“When I inquired about the facility, he claimed it was needed to supply the fertiliser. That’s when I realised he was trying to exploit me in the same way he had with Diezani.”
In addition, Matawalle recalled an episode where university students were kidnapped in Zamfara.
He described how presidential directives for officials to visit and offer condolences were impeded.
“My colleague Badaru and I called Dauda, but he didn’t respond to our calls. He did eventually respond to Badaru’s call, and Badaru told him that the president had directed us to go to Zamfara, but at the time, this guy was in the US, even though students had been kidnapped in his state.”
Matawalle continued, “He begged Badaru to allow him to return to the country before we went to Zamfara because he feared we would disgrace him if we went while he was away. Badaru is alive, and he can confirm that he spoke to me.
“I agreed to wait for him. If it was him, Dauda would have announced to the whole world that ‘Matawalle ran away after a kidnap incident in his state and the president told us to visit him’. But have you ever heard me speak about this anywhere before?”
He noted that since then, he and Lawal have not met.
Matawalle also addressed allegations of illegal mining, stating that he had requested a ban on mining in the state from President Buhari, which was approved. He questioned, “Why lift the no-fly zone ban if I were benefiting from illegal mining? We don’t even have an airport. If I were benefiting from illegal mining, why would I have requested the ban in the first place?”
‘Quit Tinubu’s cabinet’
It could be recalled that Lawal had previously stated in an interview on the same station that Matawalle should resign from his position as Minister of Defence, given the serious allegations against him.
Lawal cited an instance where a permanent secretary’s abducted children were allegedly ransomed through the government house and suggested that Matawalle’s resignation would be the most honourable course of action.
“If I were him, I would resign and face all the allegations against me,” Lawal argued.
He further questioned the integrity of the minister, asking, “How will he have all these allegations against him and he is still the minister of defence? How was he cleared by security agencies before his confirmation?”
Focus on governance, Yari cautions gov
Following Lawal’s statements, another former governor of the state, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, and a group known as Zamfara Elders Support for Peace and Development, urged the governor to shift his focus from attacking Matawalle to instead concentrate on effective governance and addressing the state’s security issues.
Senator Yari’s statement advised Lawal to emulate his predecessors, including Matawalle, who all faced the security challenges in Zamfara and did their best to address them.
This stance surprised many observers of Zamfara politics, particularly given the historical animosity between Yari and Matawalle.
It was also noted that Lawal had recently included Yari in his 38-member fundraising committee for the State Security Trust Fund.
However, Yari’s remark was interpreted as aligning with party politics against a common adversary and not necessarily a mending of fences between him and Matawalle.
Thus, it came with little surprise when the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara, through its chairman, Dr Jamilu Jibo Magayaki, countered Yari’s advice, arguing that it was more appropriate to direct such guidance towards Matawalle rather than Lawal.
On the other hand, Yusuf Idris, the Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, criticised Lawal for being unresponsive to advice and for his reaction to Yari’s comments.
Idris said, “Now that Abdul’aziz Yari has given him one advice, he has resorted to insult,” implying that Lawal’s response justified ongoing criticisms about his leadership style.
What their aides have to say
In the midst of this political turbulence, media aides from both sides have weighed in.
Dr Sulaiman S. Shinkafi, a media aide to Matawalle, criticised the ongoing political rivalry, saying that it negatively impacts the state.
Shinkafi lamented, “It is unfortunate that Governor Lawal has developed the habit of witch-hunting his predecessors, rather than concentrating on developing the state. The governor needs to concentrate more on fighting against banditry than castigating his predecessors.”
Shinkafi continued, “Dauda ought to have joined hands with these former governors and bailed out the state from its present situation of banditry and economic backwardness. It is unfortunate that he has politicised the issue of banditry.
“Our elders must intervene with a view to salvaging the state. Governor Dauda should understand that he was not elected to witch-hunt anybody; rather he was elected to work for the people of Zamfara State.”
On the other side, Alhaji Faruk Ahmad, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Lawal on Public Mobilization and Enlightenment, dismissed Shinkafi’s remarks.
Ahmad argued that the political conflict was not affecting the progress of the state, maintaining that the administration’s objectives were proceeding as planned.
“It is laughable to hear Dr Shinkafi saying they are ready for reconciliation,” Ahmad said.
“When the peace committee headed by the former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, invited all the former governors of Zamfara State for peace talks, the minister reconciled with Governor Lawal but after the meeting, he continued castigating my principal.”
“We have invited these people severally for reconciliation but they failed to honour our invitation. But if they are sincere and ready for it now, we are also sincere and ready for it,” he added.
Observers noted that the ongoing feud between the governor and the defence minister has clearly exacerbated the political and security challenges facing Zamfara State.
They said as both leaders engage in public disputes and accusations; the need for collaborative efforts to address the state’s severe issues becomes even more critical.
But one of the observers added that the political drama surrounding their rivalry underscores the complex dynamics at play in the state’s governance, and the urgent need for focused leadership to tackle the persistent problems of banditry and underdevelopment.
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