Get Guardian on GoogleThe Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has declared that no amount of opposition propaganda or misinformation would prevent President Bola Tinubu from securing victory in Northern Nigeria in the 2027 general elections.
Matawalle said his major political ambition was to ensure Tinubu’s re-election, urging members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unite and intensify mobilisation ahead of the polls.
He made the declaration while addressing a large gathering of APC supporters at his residence in Gusau, Zamfara State, ahead of the scheduled visit of the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, to the state.
The minister also called for support for Governor Dauda Lawal and other APC candidates in Zamfara, emphasising the need for unity and collective efforts to secure electoral victories for the party at all levels.
He commended Tinubu’s administration for its efforts in addressing the country’s development challenges and promoting national progress, saying he was determined to ensure the President completed his constitutionally permitted eight-year tenure.
Matawalle said that after discharging his responsibilities as Minister of State for Defence, particularly in the fight against insecurity, his next priority would be to mobilise support for Tinubu’s return to office in 2027.
He dismissed what he described as provocations and propaganda by political opponents aimed at tarnishing his image, insisting that his focus remained on strengthening the APC and consolidating its political fortunes in Zamfara.
The minister also rejected allegations and speculation about Tinubu’s health, maintaining that the President was fit to continue providing leadership to the country.
On security, Matawalle assured residents that the Federal Government would deploy additional security personnel along major highways in Zamfara State to protect motorists and other commuters from persistent bandit attacks.
He specifically identified the Talata Mafara-Gusau-Sokoto highway, Gummi-Anka-Bukkuyum road and Tsafe access routes as areas that would receive increased security deployment.
“We will deploy security forces along the Talata Mafara-Gusau-Sokoto highway to ensure the safe movement of commuters. We will also deploy security personnel to ensure the safety of those travelling along the Gummi, Anka, Bukkuyum and Tsafe roads,” he said.
He pledged to do everything within his capacity to tackle insecurity in Zamfara and other parts of the country.
On the rerun election in Zamfara North Senatorial District, Matawalle dismissed allegations that the exercise was being used to undermine his political influence or create divisions within the APC.
He questioned the rationale behind the violence reportedly recorded during the rerun elections in Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji, insisting that political disagreements should not degenerate into violence.
“Those who caused the crisis during the rerun elections in Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji know whether they can emerge victorious or not. If victory is on your side, what is the essence of creating a crisis? We will not fight or attack anybody,” he said.
Earlier, the Director-General of the Tinubu Again Movement, Dr Auwal Abdullahi, urged APC supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation for the President’s re-election in 2027.
Abdullahi disclosed that the organisation had developed welfare and empowerment programmes targeting youths, women and other segments of society as part of its mobilisation strategy ahead of the elections.
He said the initiatives were designed to ensure equitable distribution of empowerment opportunities among beneficiaries, urging party supporters to actively participate in the campaign.
