PDP to Tinubu: Stop Matawalle's harassment of opposition leaders in North

A group, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Professionals Support Movement (PDPPSM) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to use his good offices to stop the Minister of State Defense, Mohammed Bello Matawalle from “harassing opposition leaders in Northern Nigeria.”

Chairman of the group, Dr. Muazzam Lawal Sadauki, in a chart with newsmen earlier today (August 22) in Abuja, drew the president’s attention to what he described as “unnecessary, unhealthy political persecution of political figures with diverse views in the North, particularly the Northwest.”

“Recently, we heard about slamming some of our party leaders with the spurious accusation of collaboration with a man called Bashir Hadejia who is in detention by the security agencies; yet, some of our party elders are now under scrutiny (at the instance of Metawalle) with obvious intent to implicate them in dubious activities, something we view as illegal.

“Though we are aware that Hadejia was a supporter and close associate of Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, and other party leaders in our region, that does not warrant or give the Minister the right to intimidate or persecute them without due regard to the rule of law.

“Those who know Bashir Hadejia will undoubtedly testify that he is our bonafide member who has contributed immensely to the progress and development of our party, especially during the 2023 general elections.

“Therefore, the PDP cannot abandon or ignore him for now just because of unsubstantiated allegations of financing terrorism and treason.

“We believe that former Zamfara Governor and now Minister of Defense Bello Matawalle is becoming desperate to destroy or persecute anybody perceived to be a threat to Mr. President’s political ambition ahead of 2027.

“The Minister should explain to us in the PDP, especially North-West, the causes of his enmity with our leaders, especially Gen Aliyu Gusau (rtd), former Governors Attahiru Bafarawa, Sule Lamido, and others, whom he continually castigated or tried to bring down because of their opposition to APC.

“So far, many of our political leaders including former governors, a retired army officer, and serving governors, have been marked to be relegated and implicated either because of their allegiances to PDP or because they are not on good terms with the Presidency.

“Since after the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria solidarity rallies, some of our supporters are now targeted or becoming victims of harassment by certain people in the APC-led government, especially in the North-West.

“We understand that the minister of state defense is becoming so restless and openly not forgiving anybody who plays opposition to the President Tinubu-led administration even though he has a senior minister in the person of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru.

“We want to remind Mr. President to understand that, government is about the people, not about the use of power to subdue or destroy the opposition because of political interest or alliance.

“It is on this note that we are reiterating our earlier demand that Mr. President should immediately call Matawalle and others in his shoes to order, by directing them to face their work so the president can deliver his campaign promises to Nigerians,” he said.