Tunde Opalana, Abuja
The issuance of Certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle as Governor- elect of Zamfara State today alongside his deputy, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau and elected national and state legislators, marks the beginning of a new dawn in Zamfara politics as power shifts from the Progressives to the conservatives.
Fortune smiled on Matawalle when on Friday, May 24, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in a landmark judgement invalidated all votes scored by candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 General election on the ground that the party failed to conduct primary election in picking its candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly positions.
Recall that INEC had declared Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Idris of the APC as governor- elect having polled 534,541 while his closest rival, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle of the PDP polled 189,452. The candidate for the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Senator Dansadau, scored 15,177 while Abdullahi Shinkafi of the APGA garnered 3,865.
Matawalle is coming to governance at a time Zamfara State is war thorn, passing through an unprecedented security crisis of armed banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping.
The situation became so worsened to the extent that the outgoing governor, Abdulaziz Yari at different fora called for declaration of emergency in the state, a clear indication that security agencies are overwhelmed and there is no relieve in sight.
The governor-elect, no doubt, has a herculean task on his hand to stem the tide of insecurity in the state. He needs to hit the ground running immediately by meeting with stakeholders to find solutions to the teething problem.
Dr. Matawalle should not play politics with the fate of his people by not being antagonist to the APC-led Federal Government, but do all possible to rally the support of Federal Government in getting more military presence in the state.
The governor-elect, it is expected, should latch on the opportunity of having PDP legislators from the state in both chambers of the National Assembly to bring reconstruction and reconciliation to the state through parliamentary Interventions.
Dr. Matawalle, a three times member of the House of Representatives, is also expected to use his legislative connections to curry favour from National Assembly for the development of Zamfara State.
As youth-friendly politician who commands great respect among youths in the state because of his numerous youth empowerment programmes and philanthropy, he should be able to reach out to restive youths fomenting crisis in the state.
Matawalle has to warm himself into the mind of religious and community leaders across local governments in the state to engage them in dialogue with a view of arresting the ugly situation.
Being a wealthy politician, he needs to deploy larger part of his security votes as Governor to truly finding security measures. He should be ready to find and equip state based vigilantes to assist security agencies in gathering intelligence to curb the festering of insurgent activities.
To make his government memorable, Matawalle promised to carry all party members along in the processes of governance.
He added that his administration will prioritise youth empowerment through the creation and provision of employment to the teeming youths of the state.
Bello Matawalle began his career in politics in 1998, having joined the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), contested for National Assembly membership and won the seat before they were dissolved.
From May 1999 to May 2003, he served as Commissioner, Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Commissioner, Ministry for Environment, Ministry for Rural Development and then moved to Ministry for Youth and Sport under Zamfara State Government.
Between May 2003 – 2007, Matawalle was elected as member representing Bakura/Maradun Federal Constituency under ANPP. In the House, he served as chairman, House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the position he held till 2007; Deputy Minority Whip and Ad- hoc Chairman, House committee on Marine Security and Safety Commission (National Security Adviser’s office).
Between 2007- 2011, Matawalle having been re-elected as member representing Bakura/Maradun Federal Constituency decamped from ANPP to PDP which he did in the year 2009.
He emerged as the winner after April, 2011 general election to go back again on his third term as member representing his people (Bakura Maradun) under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Matawalle emerged the consensus governorship candidate of the PDP as the stakeholders zeroed on him as the most outstanding candidate to neutralise the forces drawing back the hand of the clock for more than three years.
Bello Matawalle (Matawallen Maradun) was born in Maradun, the headquarters of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State to the family of Alhaji Muhammadu Sharu on the 12th December 1969.
He studied at Thames Valley University, London, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, VTC Bunza in 1984 and Maradun Township Primary School in the year 1979.
He worked under the Ministry of Health Sokoto (in former Sokoto State) and worked as a teacher in Government Girls College Moriki and Kwatarkoshi before joining Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja until he decided to join politics in 1998 under defunct UNCP.
