Nigeria: 'I'll Support You', Matawalle Welcomes Gov Lawal to APC

10 March 2026
Daily Trust (Abuja)

From Abdullahi Abdulrahaman Chakwa Gusau

Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has welcomed the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to support him in advancing development and tackling insecurity in the state.

Matawalle described Lawal's defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC as a timely move, saying it marked a historic moment in the political history of Zamfara and Nigeria at large.

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The former Zamfara governor made the remarks in a welcome message posted on his social media handle on Monday.

"As we welcome a friend and brother, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, His Excellency, Dauda Lawal, into our great party, the APC, Zamfara State now needs the collective commitment of all of us to confront and address our challenges, especially insecurity," Matawalle said.

He added that the development would strengthen efforts toward delivering the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

"Governor Dauda is now part of a progressive family. Therefore, we warmly welcome him into this fold so that we can support him and work together with all our strengths to ensure a more secure, safe, and prosperous Zamfara State," he stated.

Matawalle said the president had demonstrated that politics should not be seen as a battlefield but as a means of fostering unity and cooperation.

"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown that politics is not war but the art of building bridges across rivers of differences," he said.

Describing the development as a reunion with a longtime ally, Matawalle said he was ready to work closely with the governor to achieve shared goals.

"For me, this is a political reunion with my friend and brother. We are a family united by the shared belief that Nigeria can, and must, work for all citizens," he added.

He also urged members of the APC in Zamfara to unite and mobilise support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

"As a true progressive, I will support His Excellency, Dauda Lawal, in pursuing our collective vision for a more secure and prosperous Zamfara State," Matawalle said.

Similarly, the Zamfara State chapter of the APC welcomed the governor into the party.

In a statement, the party's Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau, assured Lawal of the party's full support as it works toward victory in the 2027 elections.

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