A group of former commissioners who served under Governor Bello Matawalle has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to keep the former Zamfara governor in his role as Minister of State for Defence. Their position was made public on Monday during a news conference addressed by former Information Commissioner, Sulaiman Tunau, in Gusau.
Tunau said the forum was reacting to what it described as politically motivated calls from certain individuals in Zamfara urging the president to dismiss Matawalle. He condemned such calls as baseless, arguing that they stemmed from envy rather than a genuine assessment of the minister’s performance.
The former commissioner argued that Matawalle’s record demonstrated a strong commitment to national service. He said the minister’s previous roles at both state and national levels had equipped him with the experience and insight required to continue contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s security sector.
He accused some politicians of sponsoring media campaigns designed to discredit Matawalle for personal gain. According to him, these attempts had failed to acknowledge the former governor’s long-standing dedication to improving security and governance.
Tunau highlighted Matawalle’s background as a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Committee on Security and Intelligence, noting that this had given him a deep understanding of the country’s security architecture. This expertise, he said, made Matawalle an asset in his current ministerial role.
The forum also recalled that during his governorship from 2019 to 2023, Matawalle adopted a blend of military and dialogue-based approaches to curb insecurity in Zamfara. Tunau argued that these efforts had produced better results than what residents were currently experiencing under Governor Dauda Lawal.
In addition, he cited Matawalle’s recent involvement in the successful operation that led to the rescue and reunion of 24 abducted students from a secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State. The forum described this as evidence of the minister’s continued relevance in national security.
Tunau concluded by urging President Tinubu to maintain Matawalle in his position to ensure continuity as the nation moves toward the 2027 elections. He stressed that the minister’s loyalty to Tinubu’s administration and commitment to national stability should not be overlooked.
