Kimberly Daniels, a Democrat from Florida’s 14th District in the US House of Representatives, says that Bello Matawalle, Nigeria’s minister of state for defense, tried to bribe a US official to change the story of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD) report.

The politician said this in a video that went viral on her official Facebook page on Monday.

She said that Matawalle’s alleged action was to hide the UN-WCD report that accused him of genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

Daniels said that no amount of pressure could make her change her mind about the killings of Christians in Nigeria.

In the viral video, she said, “Nigeria’s minister of state defense, Bello Matawalle, offered money to a US elected official to change the story of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report.”

Remember that Daniels, who was also the head of UN-WCD, asked President Bola Tinubu to fire Matawalle because he was thought to be involved in the killings in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.

Matawalle has not yet officially responded to the US lawmaker.

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Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has been welcomed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) by Minister of State for Defense Bello Matawalle.

With APC flags flying at Government House, Lawal allegedly defected to the ruling party on Monday, which was represented by the deputy governor and members of the state executive council.

Matawalle characterized the event as a pivotal point in the state’s and the nation’s political history in a statement posted on his X account.

He said that the governor’s decision to join the APC will improve group efforts to deal with the state’s problems, especially insecurity.

Matawalle claims that the development would further President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” program.

“As we welcome a friend and brother, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, His Excellency Dauda Lawal, into our great party, the APC, today marks a historic moment in the political history of our state and our dear nation,” he declared.

Matawalle described Lawal’s defection as a political reunion and stated that politics should be viewed as a way to foster togetherness rather than divide.

In addition, he expressed optimism that the party would cooperate to win the 2027 Nigerian general elections and urged party members to band together.

He declared, “As a progressive, I will support Governor Dauda Lawal in pursuing our collective vision for a more secure and prosperous Zamfara State.”

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A fresh political storm has erupted within the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid accusations that the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, mismanaged party funds and made misleading claims regarding financial donations.

In a statement issued by the Zamfara APC Secretary, Hon. Mansur Aminu Khalifa, the party dismissed Matawalle’s claim of donating ₦500 million to APC supporters as a fabrication, challenging him to provide proof of how the funds were distributed. The statement accused Matawalle’s faction of peddling falsehoods to manipulate party members.

“The claim that Minister Matawalle donated ₦500 million to Zamfara APC supporters is misleading. Even Bashir Ataka, the former Welfare Secretary under Tukur Danfulani, has debunked this narrative,” the statement read.

The controversy within the state APC escalated further as Khalifa asserted that Tukur Danfulani, the current state chairman, was no longer recognized by the party, insisting that his suspension remains valid. Consequently, he declared all actions taken by Danfulani and his executives as illegitimate.

Beyond financial disputes, the party also accused Matawalle and his associates of diverting relief materials, including 12,000 bags of rice donated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to APC supporters in Zamfara. Additionally, allegations surfaced regarding the misappropriation of ₦50 million donated by President Tinubu for victims of armed banditry and fire disasters, with claims that the funds have not reached the intended beneficiaries.

The statement praised Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, a prominent APC leader in the state, for his unwavering support for party members and his contributions to President Tinubu’s 2023 election victory. It described Jaji as a key political force in Zamfara’s APC structure.

Further highlighting Matawalle’s diminishing influence, the statement referenced an incident in which his convoy was allegedly stoned by residents during his recent visit to Zamfara, underscoring the growing opposition to his leadership.

With the 2027 elections drawing closer, the statement warned that Matawalle’s political relevance in Zamfara was declining, urging President Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee to be wary of his actions.

Meanwhile, the party reaffirmed its support for the Isiyaka Ajiya Anka-led APC faction, emphasizing that it remains the legitimate leadership in Zamfara until a new congress is held.

As the battle for political dominance within the Zamfara APC intensifies, party factions continue to trade accusations, setting the stage for a prolonged power struggle in the state.

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has hit hard at the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, over the recent warning to the former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Eze advised that rather than resorting to what he described as mindless and aimless warning and intimidation, Matawalle, a former Governor of Zamfara State, should focus on fighting the hydra-headed security challenges bedeviling the country.

DAILY POST reported that Matawalle had cautioned Amaechi of the consequences of inciting violence in the country.

The Minister warned that President Bola Tinubu administration would not stand by and allow the likes of Amaechi to manipulate Nigerian youths into chaos and violence.

He issued the warning against Amaechi’s comment at a conference in Abuja where the former Minister of Transportation said that Nigerian politicians must “steal, maim, and kill to remain in power.”

Reacting, the Minister said Amaechi had made an attempt to radicalize the youth and destabilize national security.

Eze, formerly the National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, and an ally of Amaechi, said it was sad, demeaning and unfortunate for Matawalle, to be busy issuing unwarranted warning to Amaechi.

“We beg Matawalle to do well for the Tinubu administration by concentrating on how to help checkmate the menace of insecurity ravaging our nation under his watch rather than his arm-chair intimidation,” Eze said in a statement on Saturday.

Eze asked Matawalle to stop playing politics with the blood of Nigerians being spilled daily as a result of insecurity, and accept candid and impactful opinion on how best to deliver Nigerians from the shackles of bad democratic governance.

“In a democratic political system, citizens have the fundamental rights to freely add their voices to a national discourse towards purposeful and people-oriented governance.

“So, attempting to stifle dissent voices through beer parlour warning, carefully choreographed to intimidate citizens is to say the least, most reprehensible and insensitive of Matawalle.

“The way the present leaders of APC and her government are attempting to reduce Nigeria to an inglorious and regrettable political system will be highly resisted as that was not part of our dreams and vision towards formation of APC in the first place.

“It is the height of insensitivity and sycophancy for Matawalle, who never knew how the APC was midwifed, to stand today to hurl invective and warning on masterminds of the emergence of APC, through which he is appointed a Minister today.

“Matawalle is one of those opportunists and middle-of-the-road political traders who do not know how APC came to be, but today enjoying the fruits of the likes of Amaechi, who sacrificed their lives for the formation of APC.

“It is sad that Tinubu is keeping people like Matawalle in his administration, who have no idea of the nature of duties of a Defence Minister, thereby allowing insecurity to continue to pervade every nook and cranny of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Chief Eze stated.

Eze reminded Matawalle that presently, there is high wave of armed banditry and kidnapping in his home State of Zamfara, just like other parts of North Western Nigeria, which requires his intervention as Defence Minister.

Amaechi: ‘You don’t know how APC was formed’ – Party chieftain knocks Matawalle

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