EFCC Asked to Probe PDP Governor as APC Group Disowns Protest against Matawalle

• An APC youth group has commended the minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, for his reported role in enhancing national security
• The APC Youth Leaders Network distanced itself from a protest demanding Matawalle’s investigation, alleging it was orchestrated by a state governor
• The group reaffirmed its support for Matawalle and President Bola Tinubu, while urging the EFCC to probe the governor's financial conduct

Abuja, FCT - A youth group within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised the minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle, for what it called his “remarkable contributions” to national security, particularly in the northwest.

The APC Youth Leaders Network, speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, May 11, dissociated themselves from a recent protest staged at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters, in which some individuals identifying as APC youth called for an investigation into Matawalle.

Group blames governor for ‘stage-managed’ protest

Olayemi Isaac, convener of the APC Youth Leaders Network, alleged the protest was “stage-managed” by Zamfara state governor Dauda Lawal as part of a wider campaign to discredit Matawalle.

“Apparently, the recent events on a sponsored protest to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by a compromised faction that claimed to be APC youths, demanding an investigation of Matawalle, should be seen as nothing short of an embarrassing attempt to spread falsehood for vendetta politics,” Isaac said.

The group accused Governor Lawal of mismanaging state resources, turning the Zamfara Government House into a "propaganda hub," and harbouring elements that undermine national security.

Zamfara: Allegations of insecurity and governance failures

The APC Youth Leaders Network said insecurity in Zamfara had worsened under Lawal’s administration, with widespread reports of banditry, displacement, and a lack of effective governance.

“Governor Dauda Lawal’s loud failure in discharging the basic functions of governance has pushed him into a new vocation—funding faceless coalitions, mobilising protests, and orchestrating malicious narratives aimed at undermining President Tinubu’s administration,” the group alleged.

They further described Lawal’s leadership as “a national embarrassment” and called on the EFCC to investigate his financial dealings, including a forensic audit of state expenditures.

Group affirms support for Matawalle and Tinubu

In contrast, the group hailed Matawalle as a “respected patriot” who remains instrumental in counterinsurgency operations and intelligence coordination in the northwest.

“Matawalle continues to uphold the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu through tireless commitment to national stability,” the statement read.

The group reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC-led federal government and expressed optimism that “truth and justice will prevail.”

It also warned against what it called a “coordinated misinformation campaign” allegedly orchestrated by Zamfara’s leadership to deflect attention from local governance failures.

“The so-called protest and malicious claims by the APC Young Leaders Alliance (APC-YLA) are a desperate distraction from the real issues confronting Zamfara,” they said.

The group called for increased scrutiny of state governments and insisted that the party must not allow what they described as “misguided elements” to undermine its values or derail national progress.

We're offered N200m bribe to protest against Matawalle - Group

In a similar development, an advocacy group, the Northern Socio-Political Rights Network (NSPRN), said it rejected an offer of N200 million from proxies linked to the Zamfara state government to organise a protest against President Tinubu and the minister of state for defence, Matawalle.

In a statement issued on Saturday, May 10, Mohammed Farouk Lawal, president of the NSPR Network, said that emissaries acting on behalf of the Zamfara state government approached the group earlier this week with an offer to mobilise a large-scale protest in Abuja.

The protest, they were told, would target President Tinubu and Matawalle, accusing the latter’s administration of shielding the Minister from corruption investigations.

Source: Legit.ng