My attention has been drawn to the statement made by the Zamfara state governor, Bello matawalle on the upcoming state House of Assembly bye-elections that Minister of Police Affairs was at Zamfara on Thursday 3rd December, 2020 and not only that, but that he went with two armored vehicles to demonstrate some show of force at the state Assembly election campaign which took place in Bakura, Zamfara state.
It Should be of note that the Minister was among the delegates nominated by the APC to attend the rally to draw support for the APC candidate in Zamfara but was committed to a recording at NTA International, Abuja for a programme, “the PLATFORM”, which took place between 11:00am and 12:00noon on the same day. There is therefore no way he could have been in Bakura and Abuja at the same time. Similarly, the allegations that the Minister of Police Affairs came to a rally with two armored vehicles is also untrue because the Minister was in Abuja when the rally took place in Bakura. The facts are there for all to see.
The governor also alleged that the Minister of Police Affairs never visited katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto state amidst security issues, but this is totally incorrect. The Minister of Police Affairs was in katsina state and his home state sokoto, while a deputy inspector General of Police was sent to Zamfara state to access and give operational impetus to the ongoing operation in Zamfara state, to neutralize the bandits.
It is with much dismay to hear his Excellency, the executive Governor of Zamfara state, making such unguarded statement bearing in mind that the Minister of Police Affairs is guided by laws of the federal Republic of Nigeria as it pertains to campaign and elections. It is also important for him to know that the federal government frown at fake news, aimed at destabilizing, inciting and eliciting trouble in our dear country. The Governor has all the opportunities available to him to use the security agencies around him to confirm if all his allegations were correct before rushing to the microphone.
I therefore wish to employ his Excellency, the governor of Zamfara state to always check for facts and desist from false allegations in the future
Signed
HARANDE MAHE
SPECIAL ADVISER TO HON. MINISTER OF POLICE AFFAIRS
