The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard what it described as a coordinated political smear campaign against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Mohammad Bello Matawalle, urging the President to retain him in his cabinet.

In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Israel Uwejeyan, the group alleged that recent criticisms directed at Matawalle were part of an “engineered political plot” by individuals and power blocs who fear his growing influence as one of President Tinubu’s most trusted northern allies. NDYC said the attacks were designed to undermine the administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the group, the campaigns are being driven by political actors who see Matawalle as a stabilising force within the President’s northern political base, and who believe that weakening him would weaken the President’s broader support structure.

“The masterminds behind these attacks believe that weakening Matawalle is the shortest route to weakening President Tinubu’s political consolidation in the North,” the statement said. “They are aware that Matawalle remains a stabilising force, a bridge-builder, and perhaps the most effective northern political fortress standing firmly with the President.”

The NDYC warned that it would be a “grave strategic mistake” for the President to yield to pressure to sideline the minister, stressing that such a move would embolden those seeking to create fractures within the administration.

The group insisted that the campaign against Matawalle was motivated not by patriotism but by political insecurity, envy, and fear of his expanding influence.

“It has become evident that the detractors want him out of government solely because his loyalty to the President threatens their larger agenda ahead of 2027,” the group added, accusing unnamed individuals of sponsoring misinformation and twisting events to incite public distrust.

The organisation urged Nigerians to see the attacks as an attempt to destabilise the presidency by isolating key loyalists, describing Matawalle as a committed supporter of national security reforms and a consistent ally of the President.

“We affirm without hesitation that standing with loyal allies like Matawalle is the only way for the President to maintain national cohesion, political stability, and broad-based support heading into 2027,” the NDYC said.

While reaffirming its support for President Tinubu’s ongoing security efforts, the group maintained that Matawalle’s contributions to defence and national unity remain indispensable. It warned that removing him would create unnecessary distractions and fuel political instability at a time when the country requires cohesion.