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Tag: Bello Matawalle

  • No court order restraining Zamfara APC congresses – Party chieftain

    No court order restraining Zamfara APC congresses – Party chieftain

    Dr Sani Shinkafi, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, on Sunday said that there is no order from the Federal High Court restraining the party from conducting congresses in Zamfara.

    Shinkafi stated this at a news conference, in Gusau on Sunday, while commenting on the Nov. 13 ward congresses conducted by the party in the state.

    The APC leadership in the state, under the Gov. Bello Matawalle faction, led by Sen. Hassan Nasiha, on Saturday conducted congresses in the 147 wards of the state.

    The Congresses took stakeholders by the storm as there was a Federal High Court Order restraining the APC from further action, pending the determination of a suit filed by 10 local governments party chairmen in the state.

    The chairmen had filed the matter before the court to contest their dissolution from office before their tenure of ended.

    The Gov Mai Mala Buni-led APC National Caretaker and Convention Committee announced the dissolution of all the party executives in the state on June 28, shortly before Gov Bello Matawalle defected to the APC.

    The chairmen had instituted the suit against the APC and the National Caretaker Committee chairman as first and second defendants.

    They had also joined the Independent National Electoral Commission as the third defendant.

    The Court had, however, asked the two parties to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of the substantive suit before it.

    At the resumed hearing of the matter on Nov. 9 in Gusau, the court adjourned to Nov. 17 for ruling on the matter.

    The APC leadership under former Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari-led faction, in a statement, however, urged its members in the state to boycott the congresses, organised by the Matawalle faction to respect the court order.

    The Senator Kabiru Marafa faction had conducted a parallel ward congresses in parts of Gusau and Tsafe Local Governments.

    Shinkafi, in his briefing, however, said that the order given by the federal high court was that both factions should maintain the status quo, pending on the outcome of the judgement in the case of dissolution of the state caretaker committee, led by the Lawal M Liman.

    “Therefore as far as I am concerned, the order does not mean to stop the APC leadership in the state from conducting its congresses.

    “I am therefore calling on the people of the state to ignore any comments from those who don’t want political stability to reign in the state,” he said.

    He said there was no faction in the APC in Zamfara and those claiming they belong to a faction of the party in the state are wasting their time.

    “We have only one lawful APC leadership in the state with Gov Bello Matawalle as the leader in the state,” Shinkafi added.

  • Zamfara State creates more ministries, appoints commissioners

    Zamfara State creates more ministries, appoints commissioners

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has approved the establishment of four additional ministries and assigned portfolio to newly appointed commissioners in the state.

    This is contained in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, in Gusau on Monday.

    According to Balarabe, the four ministries include; Ministry of Forestry and Livestock Development and Ministry of Wealth Creation Empowerment and Employment Generation.

    The others are Ministry of Tourism and Hotels Management as well as Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

    Balarabe also announced the posting and redeployment of commissioners to ministries as follows;

    1- Ahmad Sharu Anka – Ministry of Science and Technical Education.
    2- Abubakar S/Pawa Dambo – Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
    3- Muh’d Umar Birnin Magaji – Ministry of Art and Culture.
    4- Nasiru Zarumi Masama – Ministry of Youth and Sport Development.
    5- Abdulaziz Ahmad Nahuce – Ministry of Special Duties.
    6- Zainab Lawal Gummi – Ministry of Education.
    7- Sufyan Bashar Yuguda – Ministry of Finance.
    8- Fa’eka Marshal – Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.
    9- Rabiu Garba Gusau – Ministry of Works And Transport.
    10- Yazeed Shehu Dan Fulani – Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
    11- Ibrahim Abdullahi Gusau – Ministru of Forestry and Livestock Development.
    12- Dr Nuradden Isah Gusau – Ministry of Environment and Solid Minerals.
    13- Junaidu Kaura – Ministry of Justice
    14- Ibrahim Jibo Magayaki – Ministry of Agriculture
    15- Ibrahim Magaji Dosara – Ministry of Information
    16- Yahaya Chado Gora, Ministry of Higher Education
    17- Yahaya Muh’d Kanoma – Ministry of Wealth Creation Empowerment and Employment Generation.
    18- Lawal Abubakar Zannah Badarawa- Ministry of Social And Community Development.
    19- Sheik Tukur Sani Jangebe – Ministry of Religious Affairs.
    20- Aliyu Muh’d Tukur (ES) – Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
    21- Aliyu Abuabakar MC Tsafe – Ministry of Health.
    22- Retired DIG Mamman Tsafe – Ministry of Security and Home Affairs.
    23- Abubakar Abdullahi Tsafe – Ministry of Tourism and Hotels Management.
    24- Ibrahim Isah Mayana – Ministry of Water Resources.
    25- Abdullahi Gurbin Bore – Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives.

    He said that the posting was with immediate effect.

  • Defection: PDP wants court to sack 3 Zamfara Senators, 27 lawmakers alongside Gov. Matawalle

    Defection: PDP wants court to sack 3 Zamfara Senators, 27 lawmakers alongside Gov. Matawalle

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday sought court order, joining the three Zamfara senators and 27 other lawmakers who defected from the the party to All Progressives Congress (APC) in a suit against Gov. Bello Matawalle.

    The PDP, through its counsel, O.J. Onoja, SAN, told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja in a motion for joinder marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/650/2021 dated and filed Sept. 30.

    The PDP specifically is asking the court to sack Matawalle, the three senators, six House of Representatives members and all the lawmakers in the state’s house of assembly that dumped the party for APC.

    The PDP had earlier sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governor of Zamfara and Chief Judge of Zamfara as 1st to 7th defendants respectively.

    Matawalle alongside the three senators, six House of Representatives members and all the 24 members of the Zamfara House of Assembly had, on June 29, defected to the ruling party.

    While the governor defected to APC, the Deputy Governor, Mahdi Gusau, did not.

    Against this development, the PDP had sought the court order, joining Matawalle as 8th defendant since only his office was sued in the earlier application.

    The party, which urged the court to joing his deputy, Gusau, as 2nd plaintiff to the suit, also prayed the court to join the senators, the House members and the 24 lawmakers in the state as 7th to 38th defendants.

    The PDP, in an originating summons dated and filed on July 8, had sought the court interpretation of Sections 1(2), 188, 287, 221, 177(c) , 106(d) and 65(2)(b), among other provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended for a determination of four principal questions as set out in the application.

    It aksed the court to determine whether Matawalle and all the lawmakers are eligible to continue to occupy the various political offices into which they were elected on the platform of the plaintiff.

    “That part of the complaint of the plaintiff in the originating summons also relates to the attempts of the 5th to 7th defendants to initiate and commence impeachment proceedings against the 2nd party (Gusau) sought to be joined, who is a member of the plaintiff political party and was elected to the office of deputy governor of Zamfara State on the platform of the plaintiff.

    “That the parties sought to be joined were mentioned in the originating summons by name and their actions and inactions form part of the material facts that gave rise to the cause of action and subject matter of the originating summons and are thus persons whose interests may be affected by the outcome of this case,” among others.

    The party said the application was brought in the interest of justice to join the said persons as co-plaintiff and defendants to enable the court effectively and effectually consider and resolve all the issues in controversy in the case once and for all and avoid a multiplicity of actions over the same subject matter.

    It said the move was to ensure that “the ends of justice are not defeated by mere technical objections as to joinder of parties.”

    When the matter was called, Onoja notified the court about three motions he had which he decribed as “harmless.”

    “Number one is a motion on notice for extention of time filed and served on Sept. 28.

    “The second one is a motion for extension of time filed on Oct. 12 and served,” he said.

    After the two motion were not opposed by lawyers to defendants, Onoja adopted them and they were granted as prayed by Justice Ekwo.

    However, when Onoja was about to move the motion for joinder dated and filed Sept. 30, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who was counsel to the 5th, 6th and 7th defendants (Speaker of House of Reps., the governor and chief judge of Zamfara) interjected.

    Ozekhome argued that the application filed since Sept. 30, was only served on them three days ago.

    He said what the PDP planned to do was to ambush them and recreate a new case because the people it sougt to be joined were not even members.

    He said more time would be needed to study the motion.

    The judge adjourned the matter until Nov. 2 for hearig of the motion, seeking the court order to join some parties in the suit.

    NAN reports that Matawalle emerged as the governor of the state, following a judgment of the Supreme Court on March 24, 2019, which nullified the APC primaries in the state.

    The apex court ruling affected Mukhtar Idris, the governorship candidate of the APC, who was decared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the election and all other candidates of the APC in the general elections.

  • Gov. Matawalle, CP react to killing of 13 policemen

    Gov. Matawalle, CP react to killing of 13 policemen

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, on Sunday in Gusau, expressed shock at the killing of 13 police officers by suspected bandits.

    The police personnel were gunned down at a mobile camp in Kurar Mota community in the Bagudu Local Government Area of the state.

    The governor’s reaction is contained in a statement by Malam Yusuf Idris, Director-General, Media, Public Enlightenment and Communications, Government House, Gusau.

    The statement said Matawalle expressed “devastation“ when he visited seven injured police officers who were receiving treatment at the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau.

    “It was on receipt of the news of the unfortunate incident that the governor … immediately rushed to the hospital to sympathise with those currently receiving treatment at the facility.

    “While lamenting the attack, Matawalle promised to partner with other security agencies in the state to track down the attackers and all their sponsors and collaborators with a view to bringing them to justice.

    “The police officers were ambushed at a mobile police camp set up as part of the measures taken by the government to fight bandits in the state.

    “Matawalle, who was highly devastated by the sad incident, said the troops are doing very well at the war front … and had decimated the number of insurgents in the area,” the statement said.

    It said the governor would make the attack his major priority until the perpetrators are apprehended or a good level of success made towards their arrest.

    Meanwhile, the Zamfara Police Command had confirmed the killing of the 13 officers with seven others injured by the attackers.

    SP Mohammed Shehu, the command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), gave the confirmation in a separate statement issued on Sunday.

    “The attack occurred on Sunday at about 1230hrs, when Police Mobile operatives deployed at Kurar Mota Village were responding to a distress call with regards to an attempt by the bandits to attack some nearby communities.

    “The police personnel, who ran into the ambush, exhibited resilience and gallantry by engaging the hoodlums, an effort that deterred the bandits from attacking the communities.

    “Unfortunately, 13 personnel paid the supreme price. However, the bandits on their part suffered heavy casualties,” Shehu said.

    According to the PPRO, the command had launched a manhunt aimed at apprehending the bandits.

    “The Zamfara State Police Command has reaffirmed its commitment and determination to sustain its ongoing operation against the activities of recalcitrant bandits and other criminal elements in the state.

    “A Special Anti-Banditry Operation is currently ongoing with a view to tracking down the assailants.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Rabiu, while visiting the injured policemen at the hospital reaffirmed that the unfortunate incident will not discourage the officers and men of the command from discharging their mandate of protecting lives and property of citizens.

    “The Police Commissioner called on every law abiding citizen to join hands with security agencies to successfully end the menace,” the statement said.

  • BREAKING: Gov. Matawalle fires all his Special Advisers

    BREAKING: Gov. Matawalle fires all his Special Advisers

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, has relieved all his Special Advisers of their appointment.

    This is contained in a statement by the acting Secretary to the State Government and Head of Service, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe in Gusau.

    Balarabe, however, said the Special Adviser on Security, retired DIG Mamman Tsafe was not affected by the development.

    “It is hereby notified for general information that Gov. Bello Matawalle, has relieved all Special Advisers of their appointments, except the Special Adviser on Security matters.

    “This decision is in line with the recent defection to the APC and to allow for an in-depth search of more but competent hands in the administration of the state, irrespective of political affiliations,” he said.

    Balarabe directed all the affected Special Advisers to hand over affairs of their respective offices, and government property under them to their Directors General and/or Accounting officers.

    He also extended the governor’s appreciation to them for their contributions towards the development of the state.

    The Governor had in February, sacked all Commissioners, Special Advisers and Directors-General, but re-appointed some of them in April.

    On June 29, he formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), after several months of speculations.

  • Former APGA National Secretary joins APC with Matawalle

    Former APGA National Secretary joins APC with Matawalle

    The Former National Secretary of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Sani Shinkafi, says he has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support Gov. Bello Matawalle to rebuild Zamfara.

    Shinkafi who was the APGA governorship candidate at the 2019 general elections in Zamfara, disclosed this at a news conference in Gusau on Tuesday.

    The National leadership of APC received Matawalle and some federal and state lawmakers to the party on Tuesday.

    “I am joining Matawalle in APC, with the APGA structure in the state and 14 local government areas (LGAs) of the state.”I am not joining APC for material gains. I am joining Matawalle to develop my state.

    “I am leaving APGA not because I don’t like the party, but I am leaving APGA in order to join Matawalle in the APC to rebuild Zamfara State,” he said.

    “I was invited by Governor Bello Matawalle himself to join him in the APC, and as such, I see no reason why I should not join him,” he explained.

    Shinkafi maintained that he was one of the founding fathers of APGA and he had been in the party for 19 years and rose up to the rank of national secretary of the party.

    “I am not forcing anybody to defect to APC among my supporters, I will continue to relate with those who chose to remain in APGA because of our long existing relationship,” Shinkafi explained.

  • Defection: 18 APC Govs, others set to receive Matawalle

    Defection: 18 APC Govs, others set to receive Matawalle

    No fewer than 18 All Progressives Congress (APC) governors are expected to receive Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State on Tuesday.

    The Chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee of the organising ceremony and Zamfara Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara, disclosed this in Gusau on Monday.

    Dosara said, “the Progressive governors will be led by the APC Chairman Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and Gov. Mai Mala-Buni.

    “We are also expecting all our national assembly members as well as state legislators to declare their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC during the occasion.

    “Similarly, all the 14 local government caretaker committee chairmen who just finished their tenure, council members and teeming supporters will join the hundreds of thousands of the Matawalle loyalists, friends and supporters in our movement to our new party, the APC.’’

    According to him, the event which is considered a historic one in the stat,e will further unite politicians and strengthen the APC in the state.

    Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Mamman, the Director-General, Press Affairs, to the Gov. Mala-Buni said the governor has has been able to convince three governors to defect to the APC.

    ”With Matawalle joining the APC, it means Mala-Buni, as the Chairman of the Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee, has been able to convince three governors into the party.

    “They are Dave Umuahi of Ebonyi, Prof. Ben Ayade of Cross River. This is also a confirmation that the APC is doing well both at the national and state levels under the purposeful, focused and people oriented leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari,’’ Mamman said.

  • Yes, Gov Matawalle is set to join APC – Media DG

    Yes, Gov Matawalle is set to join APC – Media DG

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, plans to formally defect from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) on June 29, an official has said.

    Mr Yusuf Idris, his Director-General, Media, disclosed this in Gusau on Sunday.

    “All is now set for our governor to move from the PDP to the APC.

    “All the committees that are charged with responsibility for a smooth transition of the governor have reported from their various committees that things have taken shape for the event which is scheduled to hold at a grand reception in Gusau on Tuesday, June 29,” he said.

    The media aide said the governor’s planned defection to APC would further strengthen the party in the state.

    “Let me emphasise to you that Zamfara politicians have always been a single family and even as a PDP governor, my principal, Gov Bello Matawalle has always related very well with those in the opposition parties.

    “Many people from high and low have followed the governor into the PDP in order to offer their positive advices for the growth and development of the state, some of such persons were given top government positions and responsibilities which they held very well too.

    “Under this new development of joining the APC, which will be witnessed by 18 APC governors, the governor will come along with all the National and State Assembly members as well as the PDP executives from all levels of the state,” Idris said.

    He said the governor would be received by Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, who double as APC Caretaker Committee Chairman alongside his supporters.

  • BREAKING: Zamfara Gov, Bello Matawalle dumps PDP

    BREAKING: Zamfara Gov, Bello Matawalle dumps PDP

    Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad gave the hint on Sunday.

    However, the Zamfara State Governor was yet to make his defection from the PDP to the APC known officially.

    “So Zamfara is back home! Welcome Matawalle,” Ahmad wrote on his verified Facebook page.

    So Zamfara is back home! Welcome Matawalle ✊?

    Posted by Bashir Ahmad on Saturday, 26 June 2021

    TNG reports Matawalle would be the third PDP governor to join the APC in just four months.

    When his defection is made official he would join Governor David Umahi and Governor Ben Ayade who had recently dumped the main opposition party for the ruling APC.

  • Banditry: Gov. Matawalle orders demolition of informants, arms suppliers houses

    Banditry: Gov. Matawalle orders demolition of informants, arms suppliers houses

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has directed security agencies to henceforth demolish the houses of informants and those supplying arms to bandits in the state.

    A press release signed by Yusuf Idris, the Director-General on Media to the governor, issued to newsmen in Gusau on Wednesday, said that the order was with immediate effect.

    Matawalle issued the order when Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal paid him a sympathy visit over recent bandits attacks on some communities in Zamfara, which left many people dead and several others displaced.

    Matawalle said serious punitive measures would henceforth be taken including the demolition of any house where informants, weapons suppliers and others aiding banditry activities are arrested in the state.

    He said the action became necessary in order to fully address the resurgence of banditry in some parts of the state.

    According to him, many people who are living mostly in the cities are providing information to bandits in the bushes.

    “The activities of the informants is creating a lot of problems in the ongoing fight against banditry in the state,” he noted and called for the active support of citizens in order to win the fight.

    The governor also directed traditional rulers in the state to be vigilant and monitor activities of landlords and tenants in their domain.

    He said that this would help security agents to track and arrest suspicious persons before they wreck havoc on innocent citizens.

    Earlier, Gov. Tambuwal said he was in Zamfara to commiserate with the government and people over the recent killing of innocent souls in some parts of the state.

    He described the attack as devastating, tragic and a
    serious calamity.

    The governor prayed for the repose of the souls of those who died in the attack.

    He commended Matawalle for his handling of the security challenges in the state, which had led to the decline in attacks and killing of residents.