The Minister of State for Defence and the immediate past governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, has formally invited Governor Dauda Lawal to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The minister made the call on Saturday at his residence in his hometown, Maradun, while receiving his supporters who paid him a Sallah homage, according to a statement on Sunday by Ibrahim Dosara, the former Commissioner for Information.

Mr Matawalle urged Mr Lawal, who was voted on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to join the APC for the state’s progress.

The minister asked Mr Lawal to follow the proper channel and join the APC instead of trying to sneak into the party.

“Dauda Lawal should come and join the APC rather than the hide-and-seek type of game the governor is currently playing,” Mr Matawalle was quoted as adding.

The minister assured Mr Lawal that he does not hold any grudge against him, adding that the governor was highly welcome into the comfortable fold of the APC.

Mr Matawalle also urged Mr Lawal to join the APC, which he described as the trailblazer of security, progress, development, peace and tranquillity.

The minister emphasised that President Bola Tinubu, as a progressive leader, was a good manager of peace and tranquillity.

“President Tinubu’s focus is on the development of the country and welcomes all wishing to join the trailblazer of peace, harmony, growth and development,” he said.

Mr Matawalle assured his teeming supporters of his commitment to their welfare and urged them to continue to support Mr Tinubu for the realisation of his Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the president had Zamfara at heart, and he was always looking forward to salvaging its current situation of insecurity and economic hardship.

The minister recalled how Mr Tinubu’s administration recently eliminated several terrorists kingpins and their foot soldiers, who were hitherto terrorising the state, the region and the county in general.

He said the president had recently ordered the security operatives to bring to an end the spate of insecurity in northern Nigeria before the end of the year.

Mr Matawalle said the Ministry of Defence and the security high commands were working out modalities to ensure compliance with the presidential directives.

He, however, lamented that the Zamfara government was not doing very well in terms of fighting banditry and the welfare of the people.

Mr Matawalle said the Zamfara situation was so despite the huge monthly federal allocations being deployed to the state.

The minister, therefore, enjoined Mr Lawal to justify the humongous federal allocations by providing developmental projects and basic infrastructure across the state.

(NAN)