Crisis hits Zamfara APC as Matawalle Breaks Silence
BY SD MARTINS
Preparations for the Zamfara State congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been thrown into uncertainty following deepening internal crisis in the party.
Investigations indicate that longstanding factions within the party have resurfaced and growing stronger shortly after Governor Dauda Lawal’s recent Defection from PDP to the APC.
The situation has threatened the cohesion of the APC’s structure in the state as each of factions led by former governor, senator Abdulazeez Yari, Minister of State, Defence, Bello Matawalle are struggling to hold on to party’s leadership, thereby delaying State Congress.
The development follows renewed clashes among key political figures, each seeking to consolidate influence ahead of future elections.
Party insiders said the struggle for control has intensified, with competing interests among prominent stakeholders who were instrumental in building the APC in Zamfara.
They also said, the party had scheduled it’s State Congress twice but failed to hold
“The first one was scheduled on April 8 and later rescheduled to April 22 of this month and both did not hold”
There are also claims that Governor Dauda Lawal, who recently defected to the APC, and his political ally, Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, have allegedly shared key positions in anticipation of the 2027 elections, including control of party structures in the state.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has publicly expressed dissatisfaction over the situation in a viral audio message.
In the recording, Matawalle alleged that he has been sidelined by the emerging alliance between Governor Lawal and Senator Yari.
“They sat and shared key positions without even consulting me,” he alleged
He recalled that, during his tenure as governor, he made efforts to carry all stakeholders along to prevent grievances within both the government and the party.
“I defected to the ruling party while I was governor and ensured inclusiveness to avoid grudges. Despite that, some members engaged in activities that worked against the party’s success,”
Matawalle added that after Governor Lawal was formally received into the APC by Vice President Kashim Shettima, he publicly declared support for Lawal’s second-term ambition and urged his supporters to do the same.
“Since then, Governor Lawal has openly aligned with Senator Yari and abandoned me. This, in my view, is a political miscalculation,” he said.
“I have advised my supporters to remain patient and loyal to the APC, as we still have a long political journey ahead,” he noted.
Matawalle also cautioned against what he described as emerging political manoeuvres ahead of the 2027 governorship race, alleging that certain interests are already promoting alternative candidates within the party.
The unfolding crisis is expected to have significant implications for the APC’s unity and its preparedness for the upcoming political contests in Zamfara State.
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