Matawalle: A Nigerian Minister whose vision is to see Nigerians sleeping with their eyes closed

By Sola Olugbemiro

There’s no doubt that, the former Zamfara State Governor now the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, His Excellency Bello Mohammed Matawalle is indeed one of the serving Nigeria Minister, who is working hard to realize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed hope agenda, in terms of getting rid of the Nigerian security challenges which has since germinated a reasonable significant progress.

His Excellency the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Bello Mohammed Matawalle track hardwork records, as the then governor of Zamfara State is without apology fast manifesting positive results for the assignment entrusted him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Defence Minister in both his primary Assignment and protecting political integrity of the President.

More interesting things about the Honourable Minister of State for Defence is that, one can say that he is shouldering two responsibilities at a go, that’s, getting closer positively with his Zamfara State political supporters, reason is that Bello Mohammed Matawalle out of his consideration and sympathy decides to maintain Zamfara APC supporters with a reasonable monthly allowances to cater for their immediate family members and APC supporters in the state especially those who served under his administration from the position of Honourable Commissioners, Special Adviser’s SAs, Director Generals, DGs and Board Chairmen including social media handlers who are promoting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed hope agenda.

The Honourable Minister has kept good faith with the party, the APC. Even close observers tell story of how the ex governor have many a time, taken it upon himself to support different notable causes in the state and in the party.

“The man has remained selfless in many aspects of human consideration and assistance to uplifting the lives of many party members in the state, and he has remained non-tribal and accessible to all party members,” said a top member of the party who chose to remain anonymous.

Tinubu-Shettima supporters vow to expose appointees plotting against President’s 2027 interests

Some members of the All Progressives Congress under the umbrella of Southwest Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Supporters Movement have called on President Bola Tinubu not to delay in sacking some of his appointees who have allegedly been plotting his political downfall for their selfish interests.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday in Lagos, the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential supporters condemned, in its entirety, the development which they described as “satanic agenda”, and called on President Tinubu and the APC leadership to immediately arrest the situation and ensure that the party is not hijacked by a disloyal few.

They also vowed to expose those scheming to succeed Tinubu in 2027, with the notion that he might not be able to contest.

According to the supporters, allegations by a prominent member of the ruling APC, Jesutega Onokpasa, about those around the president already planning to succeed him possibly before he completes his first term in office, ought not to be taken with levity.

Onokpasa, a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had in a video clip, alleged the ongoing drama around the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s allegations against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and the continued attack on former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, were part of plans by these individuals against the President.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Femi Bode-Banjoko, APC Chieftain and Coordinator, Southwest Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Supporters Movement said, although Onokpasa didn’t mention names, “it is not difficult to make an educated guess as to those involved in such satanic plot to be scheming for Asiwaju’s untimely departure for their own selfish political ambitions.”

Bode-Banjoko added, “These characters have been using their positions as appointees of the president to pursue their personal agendas rather than concentrate on the assignments of their offices.

“Because of that, their performances in office have been woeful till date. Rather than assist the president to improve on the country’s security and economy, they are busy chasing their perceived political enemies all around the country whilst the country suffers. They continue to give our Party a bad name among Nigerians because they are not justifying their appointments whatsoever but concentrating on alienating those who worked hard for the success of our Party in the last presidential election from the president.

“For instance, former Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Ganduje of Kano were in the forefront of Northern Governors who gave one hundred percent support and loyalty with tireless hard work to ensure Asiwaju’s victory to emerge as our Party’s Presidential candidate and eventually as the President and Commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria last year.

“Nasir El-Rufai and former Governor Yahaya Bello were the ones who went to Court to bail out the country from the satanic plot of the Naira redesign policy that threw many Nigerians into pains and penury.

“These retrogressive political opportunists made sure that El-Rufai was frustrated out of the Ministerial appointment through flimsy petitions and are now instigating his successor against him. Former Governors El-Rufai, and Yahaya Bello delivered their states to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023 through unprecedented hard work, dedication and Party loyalty whilst these ones who are reaping from where they didn’t sow lost their states and couldn’t even deliver any significant electoral value to the Party’s ticket. But they are now exploiting their positions to go after those who delivered for the ticket.

“They wouldn’t allow our Party’s national chairman to rest by sponsoring proxy wars against him. They have succeeded in alienating former Governor El-Rufai from the president and the Party and still going after him using his successor. They are after the life of former Governor Yahaya Bello who worked so hard to win his state for the President and the Party at the governorship election whilst they achieved zero for the Party. The offices they occupy are failing in their mandate as there have been no noticeable improvement in the country’s security and so forth.”

The Coordinator of the support group, therefore, urged the president to fire all incompetent and disloyal members of his cabinet and replace them with those who can help him secure the country better among other development indicators.

“All those paying marabouts millions of Naira and dollars to pray for the President to be sick or even die will receive the arrow of death before they achieve their aim,” he said.

Bode-Banjoko restated the group’s undivided loyalty to President Tinubu and the party, assuring that “He (Tinubu) will complete his first term and win his second with even greater electoral success by God’s grace.”

Rivers Crisis: Yoruba Youths Berate Wike For Disrespecting Tinubu

…say FCT Minister never respected Abuja peace accord

The Oduduwa Youths Initiative (OYI) has rebuked the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for disrespecting President Bola Tinubu by breaching the Peace Accord initiated by the President.

In a statement signed by its leader, Otunba Gbenga Ojo, the youths said it is against the culture of the Yoruba people to disrespect elders and authorities in government like Wike has done.

In December, Governor Siminalayi Fubara signed an agreement with his predecessor to end the political crisis in Rivers State.

An eight-point peace deal was brokered by President Tinubu and other stakeholders at a crucial meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

However, the FCT Minister and his lieutenants have sustained attacks on the Governor, particularly through the state assembly members.

According to Ojo, the members, led by Martin Amaewhule have made several futile attempts to destabilise the government of Fubara.

He said the lawmakers have continued to make life difficult for Governor Fubara by vetoing him, amending and enacting laws without his assent.

Ojo noted that the recent threat by the 27 lawmakers to resume impeachment proceedings against the Governor lends credence to the deepening crisis between the two parties.

The Oduduwa youths also slammed Wike for his continuous public outbursts, ruling out the possibility of any reconciliation with Fubara.

But on his part, the group said Fubara implemented the agreements, including the re-appointment of the nine pro-Wike commissioners who resigned their positions in the heat of the crisis and payment of the withheld entitlements of the lawmakers.

The Oduduwa Youths Initiative, therefore, called on Wike to apologise for the level of disdain and disregard for the office of the President.

Ojo warned that failure to do so would attract protests across the country by Yoruba youths to demand his sack as Minister.

“We have followed the political crisis in Rivers State and the swift intervention by President Tinubu to end further hostilities,” Ojo said.

“However, we have been surprised that the peace accord has not been implemented by the FCT Minister who appears to have thrown caution to the wind in his conduct.

“For months now Amaewhule and his cohorts have been entangled in unconstitutionality, in their selfish bid to destablise the administration of Governor Fubara and satisfy the whims and caprices of Wike.

“In January, the lawmakers overrode the decision of the governor not to approve four bills earlier passed by the assembly. The governor had withheld his assent rightly stating that such amendments would create confusion and breach constituted laws.

“The Rivers House recently again overrode the decision of Fubara not to assent to some bills. They even resumed impeachment proceedings against the Governor.

“We are not surprised though because Wike has consistently made careless remarks undermining the President. He has been very heedless and uncult.

“Therefore, we are giving the FCT Minister 24 hours to apologise for disrespecting the President. Failure to do so would attract massive protests across the country calling for his sack”.