Zamfara govt accused of sponsoring anti-Matawalle protest to undermine Tinubu's govt

The Zamfara State Government has been accused of sponsoring a recent protest against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, as part of a broader plan to sabotage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration.

This is according to a prominent pressure group within the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Integrity Network, in a statement by its President, Bamidele Ibrahim Ayoola, on Friday, May 9, 2025.

This follows a demonstration by another APC group, the Young Leaders Alliance (APC-YLA), whose members picketed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja earlier on Friday.

The protesters, among others, demanded an immediate resumption of investigations into alleged corruption involving Matawalle.

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But Ayoola described the demonstration as a “cash-for-mob stunt” orchestrated by political hirelings loyal to the current Zamfara administration, aimed at distracting Matawalle from his ongoing service to Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.

He stressed that the protesters were “mobilised with peanuts,” and many of them did not know who Matawalle was or the content of the petition they supposedly supported.

According to the APC Integrity Network, several eyewitnesses at the EFCC headquarters and within the Maitama axis confirmed seeing two buses, marked with Zamfara state government fleet numbers, dropping off the protesters at the EFCC gates in the early hours of Friday.

“They arrived in chartered vehicles from Kaduna and Gusau, clearly not grassroots APC members as they claimed. Some of the placards were even mislabelled, calling the minister ‘Bello Masari’ instead of Matawalle, exposing the hasty nature of the arrangement,” Ayoola added.

Group claims evidence exists of alleged bribe to anti-Matawalle protesters

The group also released images and short video clips purportedly showing cash being handed out to some protesters after the demonstration, and claimed the funds were allegedly funnelled through a proxy linked to a senior aide in the Zamfara government.

Ayoola maintained that the campaign against Matawalle is part of a wider agenda to undermine the APC-led federal government and sow internal division within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the protest was part of a deliberate campaign to destabilise the Tinubu government by attacking its key ministers, especially those seen as influential in northern politics.

“This is not just about Matawalle. This is about weakening Tinubu’s cabinet from within and fuelling disunity in the APC. These enemies of progress are hoping to frame President Tinubu’s ministers as corrupt or ineffective ahead of 2027,” he added.

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“This is not just about Matawalle. It’s about distracting our party’s federal ministers and creating a false narrative of selective justice to confuse the public. This is about weakening Tinubu’s cabinet from within and fuelling disunity in the APC. These enemies of progress are hoping to frame President Tinubu’s ministers as corrupt or ineffective ahead of 2027.”

Recall that Matawalle served as governor of Zamfara from 2019 to 2023 and was appointed Minister of State for Defence by the President as part of efforts to strengthen the national response to insecurity, especially in the northern region.

Group calls for investigation of protesters

The APC Integrity Network says that since assuming office, Matawalle has been “laser-focused” on tackling insecurity in Zamfara and other frontline states. It says that “enemies of progress” are alarmed by the goodwill he has continued to attract across party lines.

“It is unfortunate that while the minister is deploying his experience to help the Nigerian military counter banditry and terrorism, some bitter politicians in his home state are sponsoring protests to distract him,” the group said.

“The truth is, the defence minister has been laser-focused on improving military operations in the North-West. That is why he’s being targeted. However, the public must not fall for these diversionary tactics. If anything, this protest proves that he’s hitting the right nerves.

“So we challenge the EFCC to investigate the source of the funds used to sponsor Friday’s protest. Who paid for the transport, food, accommodation, and banners? Nigerians deserve to know.”

The APC Integrity Network urged the President, the National Working Committee of the APC, and security agencies to investigate what it described as a coordinated campaign to bring down prominent members of the party using state-sponsored blackmail.

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“If anyone has facts or proof against Matawalle, let them follow due process. But this rented crowd strategy must stop. The APC must not become a theatre for vendettas,” Ayoola concluded.

The group also warned that should these “mercenary protests” continue, they would be forced to name and shame state actors funding the campaign, and petition relevant federal agencies for breach of public trust and diversion of funds.

The APC Integrity Network vowed to remain vigilant and continue defending party leaders who are being unfairly targeted by what they called “enemies within and outside the party.”