The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the protest against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, was sponsored by anti- progressive persons.
A chieftain of the party, Yusuf Idris, said in a statement made available to Blueprint in Gusau the state capital Sunday.
“The protesters, largely made up of a rented crowd and those who did not have an iota of what they were doing, marched to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja with their frivolous claims against the Minister and former governor of Zamfara and asking the anti-graft agency to investigate the Minister”.
“Unfortunately, the issue being raised is an overflogged one. In fact, if the claims were true, the EFCC would have since made the details available to the public”.
The APC described the protest as rented crowd ignorant of the national laws constitutional and judicial process in the operations of anti graft agencies against a suspect resorted in a protest of envy and vendetta against the rising popularity of the Minister Bello Matawalle
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) response to the sponsored protesters explained to them that the commission’s constitutional mandate is not driven by personal vendettas, political differences and tribal sentiments but focused to uphold the rule of law and combating financial crimes without fear or favor”, the statement reads in part.
The party said, the protest had been coming from Matawalle’s political rivals organised by a few people from Matawalle’s home state, sometimes using non Zamfara indigenes (one time from the south east) who never knew the road to Zamfara and the latest, using people idling in the outskirts of Abuja and beggars to hold placards that they could not even read what the content said against the Minister.
“Back in Zamfara, Minister’s support has continued unabated and we strongly believe that such failed protests will always meet brick walls and embarrassment to the sponsors who are presently trying to hide their faces over failure through sponsored protests with a view to distract Matawalle from carrying his assigned national responsibility for the progress and development of our nation”.
“At the party level, we know these people and we know their antics and political strength (if they have any) and we want to assure them that their envy against Matawalle will lead them nowhere because the Minister who is the APC leader in Zamfara, has since moved on with his life and has always shown readiness to work with anyone for the progress of Zamfara and Nigeria”.
The party stated that the state leadership of the party is with him and ready to defend the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at all levels
The party called on the Honourable Minister to continue with his efforts to achieve peace and security throughout Nigeria for every citizen to go about his legitimate business without fear of being attacked or kidnapped.
“He should not be distracted by the anti progressive elements who don’t mean well for Zamfara state and Nigeria.”
