A socio-political group, the Zamfara Integrity Forum (ZIFO), has advised the Minster of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle to focus on his new job in Abuja instead of hitting up the political space in the state.
The coordinator of the group, Alh Yunus Zubairu stated this in a statement in Kaduna on Friday.
The statement noted, “the good people of Zamfara state reject in totality the present posture of the former governor(Matawalle). He should focus his attention on his national assignment.
According to Zubairu, when Matawalle took over as governor in 2019, Zamfara state’s poverty rate was 73.98 per cent, making it one of the worst as against the national average of 40.1 per cent.
“Instead of improving the situation, the people got poorer. The state had a higher percentage of poor people than Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Adamawa states, according to a report by the Statista.
“The multi-dimensional poverty index released in November 2022, stated that 78 per cent of Zamfara people are poor, meaning poverty worsened under Matawalle, from 74 to 78 per cent,” the group stated.
“The needless campaign of calumny against Governor Lawal Dauda will amount to distraction from discharging his duty as the chief security officer of the state and his strenuous efforts in restoring lasting peace with Matawalle in the forefront, if he truly loves the state.
“We are interested in seeing economic growth, peace, and security in the state. Matawalle who now is occupying a very responsible and strategic position, should instead use his position to bring peace by combating crime, especially in the North-west and particularly Zamfara.
. TheWitness
