"It's All About 2027": APC Group Tackles Lawmaker over Protest against Matawalle at EFCC Office

• The APC Concerned Youth Movement has accused Honourable Aminu Jaji of orchestrating a protest against former Zamfara governor Bello Matawalle
• The group alleged that the House of Reps member was involved in hiring youths from Niger state to demonstrate at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja
• According to the APC youth group, Jaji's actions stem from fear of Matawalle's political influence and are particularly in connection with the 2027 elections

Legit.ng journalist Nurudeen Lawal has 8 years of experience covering political campaigns and elections

FCT, Abuja - The All Progressives Congress (APC) Concerned Youth Movement has tackled the lawmaker representing Birnin Magaji/Kaura Namoda Federal Constituency, Honourable Aminu Jaji, over his alleged involvement in the protest against former Zamfara governor, Bello Matawalle.

In a statement issued Saturday, May 11, the group’s Chairman, Abubakar Gusau, accused Jaji of attempts to “deny his involvement in renting the youths and children from Niger state who protested at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) headquarters."

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The alleged rented youths had protested at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, calling for the reopening of an investigation on Bello Matawalle over some contracts he awarded as the governor of Zamfara State between 2019 and 2023.

One of the protesters confessed, says APC group

In the statement, Gusau said one Abdulaziz Yakubu, one of the alleged hired protesters, confessed that he and others were recruited at Suleja, Niger state, and brought to Abuja, Daily Independent reported.

He said the youths, most of whom could not read, were unaware that they were hired to protest against Matawalle, who is now minister of defence for the state, adding that they regretted their participation.

Continuing, Gusau said Jaji and the current governor of Zamfara state, Dauda Lawal, were involved, adding that the lawmaker failed to exonerate himself even though he tried to.

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“Aminu Jaji, who ought to be in the National Assembly making laws for good governance that will provide dividends of democracy to the suffering masses, laboured in vain, claiming that he knew nothing about the protest at the same time, denigrated Bello Matawalle which covered the entire statement he issued," he said.

It's about 2027 elections, says Gusau

Meanwhile, Gusau said the alleged attempt to smear Matawalle's reputation is connected with the politics of 2027.

According to the group, Jaji is afraid of Matawalle's rising profile, especially with the role the latter played in the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

“To both of them (Jaji and Governor Lawal), the fear of Matawalle is the beginning of political wisdom, thus, pulling him down is their pastime and only political survival strategy," the statement read in part.

Gusau described Matawalle as the people’s leader who is committed to performing his task as the defence minister (state).

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"No amount of blackmail or falsehood will distract him in his onerous task of restoring security, peace, and unity in the country as the minister of defence for state. He remains our indisputable leader in the quest for security and development of Zamfara State.

“It is all about the 2027 elections and the fear of Matawalle, a grassroots politician and mobilizer, and the plot to put him out of circulation that will jeopardise APC’s chance of reclaiming Zamfara State and reelection of President Bola Tinubu.

“While Tinubu and Matawalle are working assiduously for a better and greater Nigeria, their political opponents dissipate energy on far off 2027 polls.

The group, therefore, urged politicians to close ranks in the national interest, noting that Nigerians are watching as power resides in the people.

Bawa demanded bribe from me, Matawalle says

Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Legit.ng recalls that Matawalle once accused the immediate past EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of demanding a $2 million bribe from him.

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He made the allegation after the EFCC in May 2023, disclosed that he was being investigated over the alleged diversion of N70 billion from the Zamfara state treasury.

Source: Legit.ng