Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has criticised his predecessor, Dr Bello Matawalle, accusing him of using the state as a platform for political relevance instead of focusing on his current role as Minister of State for Defence.
Lawal, in a statement issued through the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Dr Mahmud Muhammad Abdullahi, described Matawalle as a “dysfunctional minister” who resorts to baseless attacks on the state government.
This comes after a viral video showed Matawalle alleging that Governor Lawal had filled his cabinet with non-indigenes and turned the Government House into a marketplace. The former governor made the remarks while receiving APC supporters from eight local councils.
Responding, Lawal said, “It is embarrassing that a serving Minister of State for Defence would shamelessly politicise the issue of insecurity.” He dismissed Matawalle’s claims as divisive and false, saying the ex-governor once branded his own APC allies as “thieves and thugs.”
Lawal also accused Matawalle of mismanaging the state, saying his administration is now focused on rebuilding what was left behind. He emphasised that his government prioritises infrastructure and development over propaganda.
