Gov not cooperating with Matawalle to end banditry – Zamfara APC spokesman

Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Zamfara State chapter, Alhaji Yusuf Gusau, speaks to MAIHARAIJI ALTINE, on the protest against the former governor of the state and current Minister of Defence, Bello Matawale, over an allegation of corrupt enrichment to the tune of N70bn while he was at the helm of affairs in the state

There was a protest in Abuja where some people marched to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, demanding an investigation of the corruption allegations against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. What is your reaction to this?

First of all, let me say that many people do not know the functions of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, while others are ignorant of the law in many areas. If you ask any of those protesters about the activities of the EFCC or why they were at the EFCC headquarters, they will have nothing to tell you except that they were contracted by some anti-progressive persons.

They were given a paltry sum of money by their paymasters to go to the EFCC headquarters just to tarnish the image of the Defence Minister, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. Those who sponsored the protest took advantage of the current economic hardship.

What I want you to understand is that the protesters were largely made up of a rented crowd. They did not understand what they were doing. They just marched to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja with their frivolous claims against the minister and former governor of Zamfara State and asked the anti-graft agency to investigate him.

Unfortunately, the issue being raised by the rented protesters is an over-flogged one.  If the claims were true, the EFCC would have since made the details available to the public. The rented crowd who were ignorant of the national laws, and constitutional and judicial process in the operations of the anti-graft agencies against a suspect resorted to a protest of envy and vendetta against the rising popularity of the Minister of Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

What will you say about the response of the EFCC to the actions of the protesters?

The response of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to these sponsored protesters was straightforward and without any ambiguity. The anti-graft agency explained to them that the commission’s constitutional mandate was not driven by personal vendetta, political differences, and tribal sentiments but focused on upholding the rule of law and combating financial crimes without fear or favour.

Let me tell you; we, the stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, know that the protest was organised by Matawalle’s political rivals from his (minister’s) home state. They hired non-Zamfara indigenes who never knew the road to Zamfara State. Most of them were idle on the outskirts of Abuja, while others were beggars who held placards that they could not even read what the content said against the minister.

From all indications, it appears the protesters and their sponsors had only one option, which was to embark on that protest to drive home their point. What do expect the protesters or their sponsors to have done in the prevailing situation?

So, if there is anything alleged against the former governor now Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, petitions should be written to the EFCC, who will also investigate and come up with the report. If you can recall, when the matter was first mentioned during the tenure of former EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, it sounded like a money-demanding avenue from the EFCC. The minister who refused to play to their tune chose to expose the leadership of the commission.

Therefore, what these protesters were wailing about still needs to be answered by them or their sponsors.  Also, back in Zamfara State, no one joined them. So, who were they and what was their interest? That is why at the state party level, we described them as mere rented crowd.

Don’t you think they have the right to protest against the alleged diversion of N70bn by the former governor, now Defence Minister?

I know they have the right to protest, but you know your right stops where someone else’s begins. So, if they claim any right against Matawalle, let them follow due process. It is as a result of that failure that the anti-graft commission refused to listen to them. Their sponsors wasted their resources in trying to disgrace the minister, and at the end of the day, the EFCC refused to honour the rented protesters.

So, despite the sponsored protest in Abuja, the minister’s support has continued without an end here in Zamfara State, and we strongly believe that such failed protests will always meet brick walls and embarrassment to the sponsors who are presently trying to hide their faces over failure through sponsored protests with a view to distract Matawalle from carrying his assigned national responsibility for the progress and development of our nation.

At the state APC level, what is the general opinion among party members?

At the party level, we know these people and we know their antics and political strength if they have any. We want to assure them (anti-Matawalle protest sponsors) that their envy against Matawalle will lead them nowhere because the minister, who is the APC leader in Zamfara State, has since moved on with his life and has always shown readiness to work with anyone for the progress of Zamfara State and Nigeria.

The party leadership at all levels is with him and ready to defend the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at all levels. We are calling on the minister to continue with his efforts to achieve peace and security throughout Nigeria for every citizen to go about his legitimate business without fear of being attacked or kidnapped. He should not be distracted by the anti-progressive elements that don’t mean well for Zamfara State and Nigeria.

You said that those who sponsored the protest against Matawalle at the EFCC headquarters were rivals of the former governor of Zamfara State. Can you mention their names?

We know them quite well. I will not mention their names now, but as time goes on, we will unveil their identities. We will expose them at the right time. These people have been working against the success of the minister just for political reasons. Let me use this medium to remind these people that God has made Matawalle a minister, and as such, if they are not comfortable with this, they are challenging God, the Almighty because he gives power to whom He wishes.

Since the time Matawalle was appointed a minister, some people in the state have been calling on President, Bola Tinubu, to sack him.

Thank God that the President knows full well why he appointed Matawalle as minister, especially following his good initiative that decimated bandits, banditry, and other criminal activities in the state when he was the governor.

It is still fresh in the memories of the people of Zamfara State how Matawalle dealt with some killer gangs in the state as against what is happening now, with the bandits and other criminals fully based in all parts of the state, including the state capital, Gusau, with the latest abduction of the Manager of TAJ Bank, Mansur Kaura.

There was a press statement by a group who identified themselves as ‘The Voice of Zamfara’.  They were trying to exonerate a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Kaura-Namoda-Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency in the state, Sani Jaji, from an alleged sponsorship of the protest. Did you see the press statement, and what is your reaction to this?

Well, I saw the press statement issued by the group almost immediately after the protest. This is suspicious because, instead of the writers saying that Jaji had no hand and stopped there, they went on to further castigate Matawalle, making them culpable in what they were trying to defend.

The EFCC said it would still investigate Mattawalle on the alleged diversion of public funds during his tenure as the governor of Zamfara State. How do you see this?

The EFCC is a government body with assigned constitutional responsibility. So, who am I to stand in their way once they are doing the right thing? It is when they violate their rules that they are challenged. Nobody can stop them from investigating the minister if they so desire, but what we are saying is that they should carry out their constitutional responsibility without fear or favour.

The issue of N70bn allegedly diverted by Mattawalle during his four-year tenure as the governor of Zamfara State is something that needs to be handled with great care because if you look at the whole money collected by the Zamfara State Government within the four years of Matawalle’s administration, you will understand that the issue is a political vendetta. Zamfara State Government used to collect less than N4bn as monthly allocation from the federation account. So, how much will remain if you remove the salary of the civil servants and other running costs? The people must not abuse the functions of the EFCC for whatever selfish reasons. Let the commission do its job according to its assigned responsibility.

Banditry is still going on in Zamfara State despite the appointment of Matawalle as Defence Minister. Why is this so?

You are very correct. The people of Zamfara State are still witnessing banditry activities in the state because the incumbent Governor, Dauda Lawal, refused to cooperate with the Minister of Defence for political reasons.

It is on record that, even before Matawalle was nominated as a minister-designate, he called on Governor Dauda to join hands with stakeholders, including past leaders, to find ways of addressing the security challenges facing the state but unfortunately, the governor, speaking through his aide, responded with what can be regarded as an ‘insult’ to such calls.

When Matawalle became the Minister of Defence, we saw an increased military presence on our highways with travellers now enjoying safe passage through Zamfara. Everybody can witness that the state’s security situation has tremendously improved because of the persistent deployment of troops to fight the recalcitrant bandits.

What we are saying is that there is an urgent need for Governor Dauda Lawal to keep politics aside and join hands with Mattawalle, who happens to be the Minister of Defence, so that together, they will effectively fight the bandits, so that peace will return to the state. But unfortunately, Governor Lawal does not understand that the fight against banditry is a collective responsibility. I am calling on him to stop playing politics with security. It will not augur well for our state.