Residents in three local governments in Zamfara State affected by the Court Order that a re-run be conducted in their local governments have expressed excitement over the likely return of the former Governor and current Minister of Defense, Bello Matawalle.
In a statement issued by a group, Maradun for Matawalle Support Group (MMSG) and signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Dan Goga, the group stated that the people of the affected communities were overjoyed at the court judgment and looked forward to voting massively for Matawalle who they believed would emerge victorious.
The group issued the statement in the wake of the Court of Appeal judgment where the court ordered INEC to conduct a fresh elections in three local government areas of the state, where elections had not been held previously or where results from various polling units were not counted.
Justice Sybil Nwaka who read the lead judgment noted that it was wrong for INEC to rely on information it obtained from its INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to collate the final result of the governorship election, and thus compelled the Electoral Body to conduct elections in the affected council areas in Maradun, Birnin-Magaji, and Bukkuyum.
“When we received news of the judgment, we were extremely happy and jubilant. Our people came out en masse to celebrate. If the elections held in our council areas, Bello Matawalle would have won. He is our candidate and would have gotten all our votes. Now that there would be a rerun, we would go out give him our full support. And we are hundred percent sure he will emerge victorious as the Governor of our state,” the group stated. “Bello is one man who took the job of Governor serious. He was every present with the people. He was concerned and took our security situation personal. He tried to ensure that every part of Zamfara received development in one way or the other.
“We have a soft spot for him here in Maradun, Birnin-Magaji and Bukkuyyum, and we will give him our support when the rerun elections hold.”
Alhaji Dan Goga, a resident of Maradun also stated that the State had come to a stand-still upon the departure of the former Governor.
Speaking on recent accusations against the former Governor, Alhaji Dan Goga stated that the Dauda Lawal knew he was going to be removed and decided to launch a campaign of calumny against the current Minister.
“Dauda Lawal’s recent attacks against Matawalle are the last kicks of a dying horse. He is publishing documents of contracts and approvals out of context in order to spite the former Governor. He is not giving the full details, whether the contractors are still working or the current status of the projects. His media war is being executed because he is aware that his days in the office are numbered.
“Dauda Lawal has always been jealous of Matawalle. He does not have a support base that cuts across the entire Zamfara State. This re-run will prove it to him, that we are tired of his pretence.
“Since he became Governor, what has he done for Zamfara? Asides witch-hunting the former Governor and sponsoring fake-news, what has Dauda Lawal done?
“He is focused on the media and not on the work. He is also emptying out the treasury of Zamfara State to fill up the fake claims he made in his Asset Declaration Forms.
“I can assure you that when Bello Matawalle returns he will find an empty treasury. Dauda would have stolen everything. That is his plan with all these distractions.”
