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  • Northern Elders’ Forum, political burden to region —Mattawalle

    Northern Elders’ Forum, political burden to region —Mattawalle

    • Says group are lightweights who should be ignored

    Minister of State for Defence Bello Mattawalle has described the Northern Elders’ Forum as a political burden to the region, saying that they do not speak for Northerners.

    He said the threats issued by the group against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is “reprehensible and naïve”.

    Mattawalle said in a statement that it is preposterous for a group of people seeking political relevance to overburden the system and create political disunity among Nigerians.

    He described the forum as a political paperweight trying to embark on a destructive journey that will bring the North to disrepute for personal and selfish gains. 

    Mattawalle said: “This NEF is more of a political burden to Northerners. The group is seeking to erode other people’s rights in order to be recognised or made relevant in the scheme of things despite the failure of their sponsored candidates in the 2023 general elections.

    “Inasmuch as many have overlooked them in respect of their utterances, it is pertinent to underscore their overbearing attitude on issues that affect political unity and cohesion. 

    “They cannot offer any positive idea or thought about the future of Northern Nigeria or, indeed, of Nigeria and its unity and togetherness.

    “We all know President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR won the February 2023 presidential election convincingly. So, who is NEF to want to undermine the President’s victory and even threaten to unseat him?

    “This same group of people has intentionally shied away from their responsibility of engendering unity in the North by appreciating the incremental development being brought to the region by Ministers appointed by President Tinubu from the North, especially North West.

    “The NEF has not deemed it fit to seek audience with Mr. President to discuss issues affecting the Northern region despite the numerous challenges facing the North as rightly highlighted by the President and being addressed by him.”

    He added: “The group is yet to visit any of the ministers dealing with issues of security, agriculture, water resources, police affairs, education, health, budget, foreign affairs, or any head of security agencies in the country so far for firsthand knowledge of government programmes and actions. 

    “The majority of them are more interested in faulting the government so as to be recognised or accorded some relevance.

    Read Also: Prove how Mattawalle gave palliative to bandits or face prosecution – APC Northwest tells PDP, others

    “Our region, the North, is united, disciplined and politically-driven enough not to listen and accept being teleguided by any group of elites who had fed fat in the past on the North’s resources and opportunities which had retarded development in the region and nation due to their selfishness. 

     “President Tinubu is poised to do a lot for the North as President of Nigeria, elected by the people of Nigeria, not by one ethnic group or the other.

    “Therefore, anyone mistakenly seeing President Tinubu as a failure or a weakling is making a mistake and should rethink.

    “Such a person or group is either blind or misguided and unable to see the new Nigeria that is emerging.

    “Therefore, the NEF statement allegedly expressing regret for voting for President Tinubu is unfortunate.

    “NEF is not more than a group that has refused to accept reality and is living in delusion.

    “The truth is that the North is proud of its support and vote for President Tinubu and will continue to be proud of her relationship with the President given the enormous change and development his government has brought to the region.

    “My advice to NEF and others alike is to support the present government and join hands with President Tinubu, GCFR in order to further move the country forward.”

  • Prove how Mattawalle gave palliative to bandits or face prosecution – APC Northwest tells PDP, others

    Prove how Mattawalle gave palliative to bandits or face prosecution – APC Northwest tells PDP, others

    All Progressives Congress (APC) northwest zone has asked members of the opposition party in Zamfara state, accusing the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Bello Mattawalle of giving palliatives to bandits, to come forward with their evidences or risk facing prosecution.

    Addressing press conference in Kaduna on Sunday, Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Musa Mailafiya Mada said the party welcomes positive criticism from the oppositions, but such criticisms should not violate the provisions of freedom of speech.

    Mada accused the People’s Democratic Party, PDP opposition government in Zamfara of persistent slandering of the immediate past governor of the state, Matawalle who is now the Minister of State for Defence.

    While stating that the allegation against Mattawalle can never be overlooked, Mada said sponsors of the fake news against the minister must either provide proof of the alleged foodstuff distribution or tender apology to the Honorable Minister on the pages of at least two national dailies within two weeks from now.

    He added: “If no action is taken from the side of the sponsors of this fake news on  expiration of the ultimatum, on 14th April 2024, a legal action will be instituted against them.

    “IIt has come to our notice that some unscrupulous elements in this geopolitical zone, particularly Zamfara State made it their daily habit of using instruments of mainstream and the new media in tarnishing  image  of our party leaders. 

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    “Similarly, it is well known fact that the PDP opposition government in Zamfara made name for itself in slandering the immediate past Governor of the state, Bello Muhammad Matawalle the Honorable Minister of State, Defence.

    “As a party, we concede that slandering any of our members with ulterior motive  is as good as attacking the structural foundation of our great party, which is intolerable, let alone defaming the character and questioning the integrity of our leaders who earned their reputation through selfless service to the greater good of the entire nation.

    “While we welcome positive criticism from the oppositions that does violates the provisions of freedom of speech, we will not condone any form of vituperation that overstepped boundaries of provisions of the laws of the land.

    “On Thursday 28th March 2024, an online blog going by the name “The Mail Online News” published a story which we believed to have been sponsored by some guileful elements with a caption that reads: –  “Exclusive: Defence Minister, Bello Matawalle Distributes Foodstuff To Bandits Terrorizing Zamfara”

    “Similarly, a Senior Special Assistant to Zamfara State Governor was heard on record, with details about the alleged foodstuff distribution that even the so called blog that’s The Mail Online News could not capture.The said S S A featured in IYA RUWA a segment of TASKAR VISION Program of Vision FM which hits the airwaves of  vision FM Gusau at 10:00pm on Friday 29th March 2024, where he alleged that Bello Matawalle sends the foodstuff to bandits through Honorable Musa Bawa Musa a former Deputy Speaker Zamfara State Assembly.

    “Without mincing worlds, we as a party strongly suspect this slanderous propaganda to have been sponsored by individuals very much related to P D P Government in Zamfara State, in fact, we have particular suspects as we mentioned one among the rest and we are confident that we will get hold of all the necessary evidences that we will use against them in the court of law as investigation into the matter is already ongoing.

    “This gravy allegation can never be overlooked, therefore, sponsors must either provide proof of the alleged Foodstuff distribution or tender apology the Honorable Minister State Defence Dr Bello Muhammad Matawalle in the pages of at least two national dailies within two weeks from now.

    “If no action is taken from the side of the sponsors of this fake news on  expiration of this ultimatum, on 14th April 2024, a legal action will be instituted against them.

    “Since inception of the current PDP opposition government in Zamfara Bello Matawalle has suffered all forms of lebellous allegations and media trials. This has to do with role he played in making the President Asiwaju led federal government which in the process specified himself,” Mada said.