Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, on Tuesday, challenged Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, to swear with the Holy Quran to prove he’s not involved in the banditry affecting the state.
Matawalle threw this challenge while speaking on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, debunking Governor Lawal’s claim linking him to banditry in the state.
He recalled how he swore with the Quran that he had no connection with banditry.
Governor Lawal had last week while appearing on a TVC programme, charged the minister to resign and address the allegations of him sponsoring banditry and money laundering during his tenure as governor.
The Zamfara Governor had said, “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me.
“For me honestly, I will step aside and face this allegation until I clear my name before I come back and continue my job. That should have been honourable. How will he have all these allegations against him and he is still the minister of defence?”
But Matawalle in his reaction said, “They should bring any proof of that.”
The Minister who stressed that the allegations were unfounded, explained that they were based on his dialogue with the bandits which other governors had done.
He said, “It was not only I that dialogued with bandits. Remember all the governors dialogued; the then governors of Niger and Sokoto states did the same. Why only me? Because it is Zamfara.
“Zamfara is a very complex state with terrible human beings with devilish ideas. Let me remind you I was the only governor that swore to the Holy Quran that I have no hand or connection with banditry or I am not happy with what is happening that if I am happy or if I am part of it or if I know those doing it or if I am collaborating with them God should not give me one-second grace.
“I challenge all the politicians, including General Ali Gusau and Dauda Lawal, to do the same. None of them could take the oath, and if they don’t take the oath that means they are part of it.”
