The spokesperson for former Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle, Comrade Anas Abdullahi Kaura, has vehemently refuted allegations that his principal embezzled state funds during his tenure. Kaura responded to a report that accused Matawalle of squandering and personally pocketing money from the state treasury. In a strong defense, the spokesperson attributed the campaign of calumny and character assassination against Matawalle to malicious individuals seeking to tarnish his reputation.
Reports have surfaced that a group of individuals recently called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apprehend the former governor, citing alleged misappropriation of N70 billion. However, Kaura firmly dismissed these accusations as baseless, asserting that Matawalle governed Zamfara State with utmost integrity. He highlighted that detractors who opposed the state’s progress continued to target Matawalle, even though he is no longer in office.
Kaura pointed out that the demonstrators were not from Zamfara but rather a group of hired hooligans with the sole intent of besmirching the image of the former governor. He insisted that Matawalle did not embezzle the state’s funds. Furthermore, Kaura revealed that former Governor Matawalle willingly stepped down from his position to support the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the recently concluded 2023 presidential election, underscoring his love for Zamfara State.
The spokesperson expressed doubts about the authenticity of the protesters, suggesting that they were led by a well-known contractor from Benue State who lacked knowledge of Zamfara’s governance and politics. According to Kaura, these individuals were sponsored to tarnish the esteemed former governor’s reputation. He denounced the protest as a blatant attempt to smear Matawalle’s name and highlighted the organizers’ decision to recruit non-indigenous individuals to carry out the disruptive demonstration.
Kaura questioned the motives behind singling out Bello Matawalle for scrutiny by the EFCC, asking why former ministers of President Buhari’s cabinet were not subjected to the same calls for investigation. He argued that this selective targeting was evidence of political witch-hunting. The spokesperson called on the EFCC to collaborate with the Department of State Services (DSS) to obtain reliable and accurate firsthand information regarding the ongoing investigation of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele. Kaura further alleged a connection between Emefiele and the current Zamfara State Governor, Dr. Dauda Lawal Dare, insinuating their involvement in monetary transactions.
The denial of the allegations by the spokesperson sheds light on the intense political climate surrounding the former Zamfara governor. It emphasizes the need for a thorough and fair investigation to ascertain the truth while addressing the potential political motivations behind the accusations