The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has donated vehicles to eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly who recently returned to the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The donation is aimed at easing the lawmakers’ transportation challenges, facilitating their return to the state and supporting their political engagements and mobilisation efforts across their respective constituencies.
The gesture comes amid ongoing reconciliation efforts by APC leaders to unite aggrieved members and strengthen the party’s political structure in Zamfara State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Matawalle, a former governor of the state, reportedly directed the immediate release of the vehicles following President Bola Tinubu’s reported directive urging the lawmakers to return to Zamfara and work towards strengthening unity within the party.
Presenting the vehicles in Gusau on Wednesday, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Yazid Danfulani, said the gesture reflected Matawalle’s commitment to reconciliation and party unity.
Danfulani noted that the minister had continued to engage APC stakeholders to promote understanding, cooperation and cohesion among party members.
He added that the donation was part of broader efforts to consolidate the reconciliation process, reconnect the lawmakers with their constituencies and strengthen the party’s grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Aliyu Kagara thanked Matawalle for the support and pledged their commitment to Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“We sincerely appreciate the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, for this gesture. We assure him of our commitment to working assiduously for the success of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections,” Kagara said.
The donation follows commendation from the Northern Elders of the APC Forum, which recently praised Tinubu and Matawalle for their roles in facilitating the return of the eight lawmakers to the ruling party.
The forum’s chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Abubakar, described the development as a significant step towards resolving internal disagreements and rebuilding unity within the APC.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his fatherly role and commitment to promoting reconciliation within the party, despite his tight schedule. His leadership and willingness to encourage dialogue remain crucial to strengthening the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Abubakar said.
The forum also praised Matawalle for his efforts to reconcile aggrieved members, restore confidence among party stakeholders and prevent further divisions.
According to the forum, the lawmakers agreed to return to the APC following discussions with Matawalle, who had been spearheading reconciliation efforts in the state. The minister was also reported to have presented the lawmakers to Tinubu after they reaffirmed their allegiance to the President and the party.
However, the elders cautioned that the return of the eight lawmakers should not signal the end of reconciliation efforts, urging the APC leadership to address the grievances of other aggrieved members.
“Party unity must go beyond the return of elected officials; it must involve building trust and ensuring that every stakeholder has a sense of belonging,” the forum said.
Matawalle governed Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023 before losing his re-election bid to Dauda Lawal of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship election. He was subsequently appointed Minister of State for Defence.
The latest development underscores efforts by APC leaders to consolidate the party’s political base in Zamfara State and mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
However, sustaining the gains of the reconciliation process may depend on the party’s ability to address lingering grievances, rebuild trust and accommodate competing interests among its stakeholders.