By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Yoruba Youth Council has passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
In a statement on Saturday by its National President, Comrade Eric Oluwole, the council, which is an umbrella body of the Yoruba youth, described the minister as an invaluable asset in the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in view of his commendable antecedents in public service.
Oluwole recalled the commendable role played by Matawalle as the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, in unison with other notable former Northern governors, in ensuring that Asiwaju Tinubu emerged as the flagbearer of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and eventually won the February 25 Presidential Election.
Besides, he recalled that Matawalle was among the former governors who sued the FG over its Naira redesign and cashless policy, and had forced it to cancel a policy that imposed an untold hardship on Nigerians close to the presidential election, which Tinubu eventually won.
His words: “We see former Governor Bello Matawalle as a good person in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we want the President to always work with him.
‘We recall vividly how Matawalle stood firmly with Asiwaju and fought gallantly to ensure that he was nominated as the Presidential Candidate of his party, the APC, and he eventually won the Presidential Election.
“We also recall that this former governor was in the forefront of other governors who fought against the Naira redesign and cashless policy that caused so much hardship for Nigerians in an election year.”
Oluwole advised Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to work with his predecessor who, with what he described as his giant achievements, had laid the foundation for him to build on in the state.
“The governor should know that we’re fully aware that he has been sponsoring some PDP by sharing them money to blackmail the former Governor Alhaji Bello Metawaĺle and also working to undermine the administration of Mr President Bola Tinubu. Yoruba youths Caution him to desist from this move or face the other side of the youths,” the group said.
He said, “Rather than engage in meaningless wranglings, rather than try to undermine the achievements of his predecessor and wage fruitless, bitter smear campaigns against a man who recorded tremendous achievements in office as Governor, we advise Governor Lawal to join hands with his predecessor and Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle and work together with him for the development of Zamfara State and our dear Country Nigeria.”
