A political pressure group within the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), APC Akida Forum, has accused former Zamfara governor Bello Matawalle of enlisting a politician from Benue State for illicit activities.
Last week, the group staged a protest at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja, urging the commission to reopen Mr. Matawalle’s corruption case.
The chairman of the APC Akida Forum, Mallam Musa Mahmud, alleged in a press release issued on Friday in Kaduna that the junior minister for defense, Bello Matawalle, resorted to using a member of the House of Representatives from Benue to cover up his scandalous activities.
The chairman said: “It is of great concern that we have learned about the involvement of a current member of the honorable House of Representatives in the scandalous activities of the junior defense minister, Bello Matawalle.
“The same member who represents the residents of three local governments in Benue is coordinating negative campaigns to protect Matawalle from numerous allegations of corruption and involvement with bandits.
“We have chosen not to disclose the name of the Honorable member at this time due to his affiliation with our great party, the All-Progressives Congress. We urge this member to refrain from associating with Bello Matawalle, who is currently under investigation for corruption and involvement in banditry.
“Our investigation has revealed that before his election into the House of Representatives, he owned a mushroom TV Station that he used as a platform for blackmail and extortion to high-placed individuals and governments.
“We want to emphasize that we are bringing attention to this issue because the same respected member is determined to accuse our forum falsely. This is simply because we exercised our civic right to protest the corrupt individuals in our government.
“Just last month, this same Benue politician was the one who pushed forged documents via his UK Whatsapp Number +447***2062** to avoid coming under the radar to his media consultant/assistant, who in turn coordinated and sent them to fake online media houses.
“This Benue politician peddled all fake stories trying to defend Matawalle through one married woman who shared the same with unprofessional paid goons through her number 0803**1**69.
“The married woman uses her Zenith Bank account to send money to individuals and groups they hired as paid goons.
“We have also confirmed that Bello Matawalle is directly communicating with the Benue politician using his UK registered number +44 7*** 93***8.
“We urge the Benue politician, who also holds a key position in the house, to refrain from participating in this inappropriate endeavor. As a member of our esteemed party, he should collaborate with us to support our leader and father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in removing corrupt individuals from the government.”
