By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential ...
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member of the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of engaging in divisive politics in Zamfara State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Dr. Shinkafi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, to call the former governor to order, warning that his alleged actions could further weaken the party’s unity and electoral chances in the state.
He alleged that Matawalle’s leadership style and political maneuvering were responsible for the internal crisis that led to the APC’s defeat in the 2023 governorship election in Zamfara, where he lost to Governor Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“It is worrisome that Matawalle, who ought to use his position as a former governor and now Minister of State for Defence to unite, stabilize, and strengthen the APC in Zamfara, is the one fueling division among party members,” Shinkafi stated.
According to him, instead of embarking on membership mobilization and reconciliation, Matawalle has allegedly been “chasing shadows” and attempting to hijack party structures through what he described as “a divide-and-rule approach.”
“This infantile politics must stop if APC should regain Zamfara State in 2027. There has been a national clamour for inclusive politics under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, but in Zamfara, the reverse is the case,” he said.
Dr. Shinkafi further accused the minister of politicizing his office by turning the Ministry of Defence into what he called “a personal campaign ground,” where he allegedly receives political decampees and holds meetings.
“It is ignoble for a minister of the Federal Republic to turn his office into a personal campaign office. National security should be his priority, not partisan politics. Matawalle should open his 2027 campaign office in Zamfara, not at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja,” he added.
The APC chieftain maintained that only a united front could guarantee the party’s victory in Zamfara and across the North West, where President Tinubu secured significant votes in 2023.
“I urge Mr. President and the party leadership to intervene and restore unity. APC cannot afford to lose Zamfara again due to internal conflicts. I remain a loyal party member and call on Matawalle to focus on his national assignment rather than fighting imaginary political opponents,” Shinkafi said.
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