The Minister of State for Defence and immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has pushed back against allegations by his successor, Governor Dauda Lawal, that he left behind an empty treasury.
In a press conference held in Kaduna, Matawalle — speaking through his former Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara — denied claims made by Governor Lawal during an interview with Arise TV.
Lawal had alleged that Matawalle left only N4 million in the state’s account.
But Matawalle countered that his administration handed over N14 billion in bond proceeds, N2.6 billion in World Bank funds, and several other grants to the new government.
He called on Governor Lawal to stop the “blame game” and focus on governance.
“We are compelled by the circumstances… when he granted an interview to Arise TV… to respond to some tissues of lies and concoctions of the Governor,” Dosara said.
Dosara insisted that the average monthly allocation under Matawalle’s government was N3.2 billion, which he described as insufficient to meet the monthly wage bill of N2.1 billion.
He also rejected the claim of four and a half months of unpaid salaries, stating that only three months were owed. He blamed payment delays on Governor Lawal’s alleged threats to banks.
Matawalle also criticized the current administration’s approach to security, citing recent attacks and abductions, and accused Lawal of misrepresenting the state’s progress.
He listed several issues, including nonpayment of WAEC and NECO fees, incomplete road projects, and poor implementation of the minimum wage.
However, Governor Lawal’s Director General of Media and Communication, Nuhu Anka, dismissed Matawalle’s defence as “a bunch of goofs.”
“I would have ignored Dosara’s blunders… but I find it very imperative to react in order to put the records straight,” Anka stated.
He upheld the governor’s position that only N4 million was found in the treasury, questioning how a government that claimed to have left over N42 billion failed to pay salaries and severance packages.
“In fact, the former Governor had seriously mismanaged the state government’s resources… He left huge debts, while the state went bankrupt during his tenure,” Anka said.
Anka praised Governor Lawal’s reforms, saying the administration had cleared salary arrears, implemented both the N30,000 and N70,000 minimum wages, and stabilized state finances.
“Zamfara state is not owing anybody both within and outside the country,” he said. “Government policies and programs are going on unhindered.”
Responding to Dosara’s criticism of the state’s security under Lawal, Anka described it as “laughable,” arguing that the situation has improved significantly since Matawalle left office.
