Idea of Gov Lawal’s loan Sahara Reporters’ signature of “Gonzo Journalism” – Zamfara Govt
By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
The Zamfara State government has refuted allegations claiming Governor Lawal borrowed money, labeling such assertions as a product of Sahara Reporters’ characteristic of gonzo journalism.
Sahara Reporters had on Monday published a story with the headline ‘EXCLUSIVE: Budget Documents Expose Zamfara Governor Lawal’s False Claim of no Borrowing —N34 Billion Loans Recorded Under His Watch’.
But in a statement issued in Gusau, the state capital, the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described Sahara Reporters as an online platform with full enjoyment throwing curveballs of misinformation.
The statement added that the online newspaper’s work “is far from Yellow Journalism; it has evolved into Gonzo Journalism, which is characterized by a lack of objectivity in reporting.”
The statement read in parts, “Our attention has been drawn to false information being spread by Sahara Reporters, a blog known for disseminating fake news to boost online traffic.
“During a live media chat last week, Governor Dauda Lawal highlighted his commitment to fiscal responsibility, reaffirming that he has not taken any local or international loans throughout his two years in office.
“But to our surprise, the purveyor general of fake news, Sahara Reporters, published what it tagged as an exclusive report of how N34 Billion Loans were recorded under Governor Lawal’s watch.
“The Sahara report revealed clear gaps in understanding and showed its apparent failure to seek a professional review of the Zamfara State budget document.
“The reported borrowing amount of 34 billion naira by Sahara Reporters needs clarification to ensure the public accurately understands the situation.
“The 2023 Budget was prepared during Bello Matawalle’s previous administration, who is now the junior minister for defence. Of this budget, 53.2 billion was allocated for servicing loans borrowed by the state government.
“Although no borrowing was recorded for the above figure, the Zamfara State Government spent 34 billion on interest payments for various loans taken by previous administrations. This demonstrates Dauda Lawal’s commitment to reducing Zamfara’s debt burden and preventing the taking of additional loans.
“A platform committed to genuine journalism would conduct a thorough investigation to verify its hypothesis and establish its credibility. However, Sahara Reporters opted for a different approach, staying true to its signature Gonzo Journalism Style.
“Sahara Reporters should question the former governor, Bello Matawalle, about how he used the loans received during his tenure, which did not lead to any development. That is the loan we are currently servicing.
“Governor Dauda Lawal did not take any loans during his two years as the Zamfara State Governor.
“We challenge Sahara Reporters to provide any supporting documents that show the current Zamfara administration seeking loan facilities, whether locally or internationally.”
