The leadership of Arewa Youth Assembly for Good Leadership (AYAGL) and Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has noted with dismay the myriads of sponsored protests against the performing minister of state, Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle.
A statement issued and signed by Amb. Abdul Danbature, Speaker, AYAGL, and Mohammed Salihu, Speaker, AYA, said they have come to the realisation that the sponsors of these uncalled-for and unwarranted protests do not mean well for Zamfara State and, by extension, Northern Nigeria.
They both averred that they have come to realise that the traducers of the Minister are those jealous of his exemplary performance in office and his track record when he held sway as Governor of Zamfara State.
The leadership of the Arewa Youth Assembly noted that it will henceforth engage any person or group paid to malign or assassinate the character of Dr. Bello Matawalle.
“He is far from the negative reports he has been subjected to, and unfortunately, most of the groups paid to do these hatched jobs don’t know what Dr Bello Matawalle represents.
“Dr Matawalle is an integrity-personified leader, selfless to a fault, humble to the core, and audaciously committed to the progress and development of Northern Nigeria.
“His passion for the liberation of Northern Nigeria has earned him the anger and wrath of some high-profile individuals who are determined to stop at nothing to bring him down politically.
“But our consolation lies in the fact that they are already failing in their bid to project him in a bad light before the well-meaning people of Zamfara State and the president in particular.
The leadership of the youth groups wants to use this medium to amplify our readiness and determination to support Dr Bello Matawalle in his bid to provide purposeful leadership as Minister of State, Defence.
“Those who paid and mobilised to champion his dismissal from the Federal Executive Council as Minister are only wasting their precious time because the man is doing the uncommon in his capacity as Minister in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We also want to use this medium to let our uninformed fellow youth know the remarkable contribution Dr. Bello Matawalle is making in his capacity as Minister of State, Defence.
“The recent promotion exercise in the Nigerian Navy is a classical example of Dr Bello Matawalle’s readiness to serve this country with the utmost sense of patriotism and nationalism. The fairness with which the promotion exercise was conducted has endeared him to all in the Nigerian Navy.
“We must also point out that those protesting for the removal of Dr. Bello Matawalle are not sincere in their demand. Dr Matawalle is only a state minister of defence.
“If the sponsored protesters are sincere and serious, they should direct their energy towards the senior minister of defence. Although we understand Dr Bello Matawalle’s outstanding performance, it has become a nightmare for his detractors.
“Let also state emphatically that the leadership of the Arewa Youth Assembly is 100 per cent behind Dr Bello Matawalle because, from our objective evaluation, he is doing a good job in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“As youth leaders, we will lend him all the support he requires to succeed in the task assigned to him by Mr. President. Dr. Bello Matawalle represents the virtue of the late Sardauna, and he must be encouraged to continue.
“Our interest henceforth is good governance and purposeful leadership, a virtue Dr Bello Matawalle represents. No youth of Northern extraction should allow himself to be used against this selfless public servant.
“Matawalle’s love for the progress and development of Zamfara State and Northern Nigeria has no bounds; therefore, all hands must be on deck to support and encourage him. He is indeed a good ambassador of the late Sardauna,” the groups stressed.
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