The North West Peace and Progress Forum (N-WPPF) has urged Governor Dauda Lawal to resign from office and seek forgiveness, following recent revelations by individuals who confessed to being sponsored by his administration to spread false allegations and blackmail against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by the forum’s convener, Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, the group drew on the confessions to criticize the governor’s leadership, highlighting the misuse of public funds amid escalating insecurity, poverty, and hardship in Zamfara State.
“These revelations confirm that the governor’s administration, through his spokesperson, convened meetings, provided instructions, and allocated over five hundred million naira in taxpayers’ money to recruit political commentators, social media influencers, and media platforms for a coordinated smear campaign,” Alhaji Gusau stated.
“This was done to circulate damaging and untrue content against Dr. Matawalle, even as the participants knew the information was false. Such actions represent a profound betrayal, diverting resources from urgent needs while the state sinks deeper into crisis.”
The forum emphasized that Governor Lawal has shown a relentless determination to tarnish his predecessor’s reputation, prioritizing political vendettas over governance.
“While the governor remains hell-bent on these baseless attacks, Zamfara has reached an all-time low in terms of poverty, hardship, and insecurity,” Alhaji Abdullahi continued.
“The state continues to suffer from surging abductions, bandit raids, and economic stagnation. Such distractions have emboldened insurgents and reversed the progress made under Dr. Matawalle’s tenure, when security coordination improved, markets reopened, and communities began to recover.”
Alhaji Abdullahi noted that the governor has not denied knowledge of or involvement in the sponsorship, despite the detailed evidence presented in the confessions, including records of meetings and financial provisions.
“Governor Dauda should offer a sincere apology to the people of Zamfara for misusing their resources, reflect on the harm caused, seek forgiveness from those affected and from Allah, and step aside to allow effective leadership to address these mounting challenges.
“It is never too late to acknowledge errors and prioritize the public’s welfare.”
Quoting the Holy Quran, the convener added: “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’” (Quran 39:53).
“We urge the governor to take this verse to heart and choose the path of accountability,” Alhaji Gusau remarked.
The forum also appealed to Dr. Matawalle to forgive those involved in the allegations and remain focused on his national duties.
“Dr. Matawalle has exhibited patience and commitment to Nigeria’s security,” the statement read.
“His recent signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on defence and military cooperation—encompassing military training, intelligence sharing, defence production, and joint operations—highlights his valuable contributions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“We encourage him to continue this important work undeterred.”
The group called for investigations by anti-corruption agencies into the revelations and stressed the importance of unity among Northwest leaders to combat banditry and promote development.
“Political deception only weakens our region; the focus must shift to serving the people,” Alhaji Abdullahi concluded.
