BELLO MATAWALLE AND THE CONTROVERSIAL 50 VEHICLES BECOMING PRESIDENT TINUBU’S MILLSTONE

Bello Matawalle is the former Executive Governor of Zamfara State in North-East Nigeria and currently serves as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defense.

In 2019, he was elected as the governor of the State under the People's Democratic Party. However, his victory wasn't solely based on the strength of his political party. Instead, it was because the All Progressives Congress held an anti-democratic Primary. As a result, the Judiciary, which was finally sealed by the Supreme Court, disqualified all offices contested for by the APC in the State. This made it easier for the PDP to win all elective offices in the State.

After being sworn in as Governor, Bello Matawale quickly switched political parties from the PDP to the APC. He made the move based on the assumption that he wouldn't have been able to win a second term in 2023 if he had stayed with the PDP. Sadly, he was unable to secure a victory in the gubernatorial elections when they were held in 2023.

Abdulrasheed Bawa, the former Executive Chairman of EFCC, alleged that the Governor fraudulently embezzled N75bn of Zamfara State funds for personal investment.

"We are waiting to charge him to court for fraud once his tenure as governor expires," promised the EFCC Chairman. However, Governor Bello Matawalle had a different story. He claimed to have evidence that the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, demanded a bribe of $2m from him. According to the governor, Bawa became angry when he refused to pay and accused him of wrongdoing.

The EFCC Chairman was accused of demanding a sum of 2 million American Dollars. However, the person making the accusation did not explain why such a large amount was demanded. It would have been helpful if he had given more information on what the money was intended for. This lack of clarification left the accusation confusing and open to interpretation.

He did not mention the need to clarify whether his payment during his time as a Governor was in American Dollars or Nigerian Naira. It is unclear why Bawa would ask for a bribe in American Dollars if his salary and allowances were paid in Nigerian Naira. By not answering this question directly, the speaker made it difficult to understand his position and intentions.

Unfortunately, Bola Tinubu, having been sworn in on May 29, 2023, as President, got Abdulrasheed Bawa suspended from office and arrested, and kept in detention for close to 80 days before retiring him from Service. While, in the other hand, Bello Matawalle was gloriously picked, in an anointing way, and appointed Minister of State, to defend Nigeria and Nigerians.

The Accuser was being held in detention, even though it was illegal to do so. Meanwhile, the Accused was taken to the Palace of the Nigerian State's Defender, without having to answer any of the allegations made against them. These allegations had been properly documented in files, but the justice system in Nigeria seems to be crumbling.

We can discuss the journey of Bello Matawalle that led him to the Palace of the Country's Defender. Looking back, one could argue that it was a path filled with opportunities. However, let's focus on the present. Matawalle is now a Defender of the Nigerian State Territorial, responsible for maintaining its integrity.