“You Are Committing Big Political Blunder By Aligning With Senator Yari,  Matawalle Warns Governor Lawal

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

In a development that has signposted the brewing of a  deep crack within the ranks of the All Progressive Congress in Zamfara State, Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has warned Governor Dauda Lawal to be wary of his new found political love with a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdulaziz Yari.

This is as he lamented his alleged neglect and exclusion from the running of the affairs of the APC in the State since the coming on board of Governor Lawal.

The Source reports that Governor Lawal, who defeated Matawalle in the 2023 general elections on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had, in the wake of the Court of Appeal ruling on March 9, 2026, nullifying the Ibadan National Convention of the party, as well as recognizing the Nyesom Wike-backed Abdulraham Mohammed-led faction, defected to the APC.

But in a viral audio online, the Minister expressed serious concern that after receiving Governor Lawal with warmth into the APC, including publicly renouncing his political ambition, he has been relegated, completely, to the background by the duo of Senator Yari and Governor Lawal.

According to him, only Governor Lawal and Yari meet and decide what happens, and who gets what within the APC in Zamfara State, without any reference to him, both as a former Governor, a serving Minister, and one of the old leaders of the APC in the State.

Matawalle emphasized that when he first defected to the APC during his tenure as a Governor, he made sure that every interest was accommodated,and represented.

According to him, even with his large heart and open mindedness ,some forces in the state, including those now romancing with the Governor, sponsored internal insurrection ,and got the APC defeated in 2019 elections.

He expressed serious fears that the same forces are bent on misleading the Governor, and jeopardising the interest of the party in Zamfara State,

“I defected to the ruling Party when I was a Governor ,but I carried everybody along to avoid grudges both within the Party and Government.

“But all the  selfless efforts did not stop some of the party members from embarking.on secret anti-party activities which ultimately led to the failure of the APC in the state.

“Since the day Governor Lawal was formally welcomed into the party by the Vice President, Kashim Ibrahim Shettima ,I made a public declaration that I have renounced my ambition, and asked all my followers to redirect their votes in favour of the second term ambition of the Governor.

“Since then, Governor Lawal has openly embraced Senator Yari Abubakar, and abandoned me. But this should be seen as a clear political blunder, because I have my own people across 14 Local Government Areas of the State, and they are just waiting for my order.

”My people have contacted, complaining that they learnt that the present arrangement is not in any way respecting me as one of the party leaders in the state.

“But I asked them to remain patient and loyal to the APC, and that we still have a long way to go.

“I am warning Governor Lawal to be very careful . The posters of Mukhtar Shehu vying for Governorship in 2027 are still flying in the State, and this underground project is sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yari as he did in 2019, which was the development that finally led to the APC losing both the gubernatorial and legislative positions”, stated.