Crisis rocks Zamfara APC congress preparations as Tinubu’s Minister, Matawalle speaks out
By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
“Since then, Governor Lawal had openly sided with Senator Yari Abubakar and abandoned me, but this should be seen as a clear political blunder, because I have my own people across the 14 local government areas of the state just waiting for my order.”
Fresh cracks have emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, casting doubt over the party’s planned congresses as internal rivalries intensify.
Investigations reveal that long-standing factions within the party have resurfaced, escalating tensions and threatening the APC’s cohesion in the state. Key stakeholders are reportedly locked in a struggle for influence, with competing interests deepening divisions that have plagued the party in recent years.
At the center of the controversy are Dauda Lawal and Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, who are alleged to have jointly consolidated control over critical party structures ahead of the 2027 elections. Sources claim that major leadership positions have already been informally allocated, sidelining other influential figures.
The situation escalated following a viral audio message attributed to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle. In the recording, Matawalle expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as his exclusion from key decisions within the party.
According to him, despite his earlier support for Governor Lawal’s second-term ambition, he has been marginalized in the current power arrangement. Matawalle warned that the growing discontent among his supporters across the state’s 14 local government areas could have serious political consequences if not addressed.
He also alleged the existence of an underground political movement backing another potential governorship contender, claiming it is being sponsored by Senator Yari. Matawalle linked similar political maneuvering in 2019 to the APC’s electoral setbacks in the state.
In an audio that went viral, the Minister of State for Defense, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has cried that, Governor Dauda Lawal and Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar have sidelined him, saying, “They sat and shared all key positions without even contacting him
“I defected to the ruling party when I was a Governor then, but I carried everybody alone to avoid fuelling of grudges in the government and the party, but all that selfless decisions did not stop some of the party members to embarked upon secret activities against the victory of the party, which we failed the 2019 election”.
“Since the date Governor Lawal was formally welcomed into the party led by the Vice President Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, I made a public declaration that I renounced my ambition and asked all my followers to redirect their votes in favour of Governor Lawal’s second term.
“Since then, Governor Lawal had openly sided with Senator Yari Abubakar and abandoned me, but this should be seen as a clear political blunder, because I have my own people across the 14 local government areas of the state just waiting for my order.
“My people have contacted me complaining that, they learnt that, this arrangement is not in anyway respecting me as one of the party leaders in the state, I replied them, they should remain patience and loyal to the APC, we still have a long way to go.
“I am warning Governor Lawal to be very careful, the fosters of Mukhtar Shehu (Koguna) vying for Governorship 2027 is still flying in the state, and this underground project is sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yari as he did in 2019, the development that finally failed the APC in gubernatorial and legislative positions”, Matawalle has cautioned.”
Political observers say the latest developments could further destabilize the APC in Zamfara, raising concerns about the party’s readiness for upcoming internal exercises and future elections.
