Protesters march on National Assembly demanding the removal of defence minister Matawalle

DOZENS of anti-corruption activists marched on the National Assembly in Abuja demanding  the sacking of minister of state for defence Alhaji Bello Matawalle following his recent indictment for corruption while he was Zamfara State governor.

Between 2019 and 2023, Alhaji Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governed Zamfara State but in the elections which took place in February this year, he lost to incumbent Governor Lawal Dare of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Following his election loss, President Bola Tinubu named Alhaji Matawalle as Nigeria's minister of state for defence.

Of late, however, he has been indicted by the Sokoto State government for misappropriation of public funds and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is also investigating him. Earlier today, protesters marched on the National Assembly, saying that Alhaji Matawalle's position was untenable and they demanded that he be sacked.

During the protest, the demonstrators chanted displayed banners with different inscriptions such as Sack Bello Matawalle Now and Our Defence Budget Not in Safe Hands.  These activists under the aegis of the Civil Society Advocacy Groups for Accountability and Probity. also accused the minister of romancing bandits and being responsible for the loss of lives and property worth billions of naira.

Danesi Momoh, the leader of the protesters, called on the senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to exert pressure on the president to ensure Alhaji Matawalle  is relieved of his job. He added: “A defence portfolio to an inefficient leader was perhaps one of the biggest mistakes of this administration but it can be corrected with the senate giving a voice in that direction.

“We call on the senate to weigh in to ensure that he is immediately removed to restore some hope in good governance. We shall also be mounting pressure on President Bola  Tinubu whose table the buck stops directly to replace him."

Salihu Abdullahi, the director at the Sergeant at Arms at the National Assembly, who received the petition on behalf of Senator Akpabio, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful and orderly conduct of the protesters. He added that he will convey their grievances to the appropriate quarters.