Bello Matawalle

Last updated

Bello Matawalle
Minister of State for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 August 2023
Preceded by Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari
Succeeded by Dauda Lawal
Personal details
Born
Bello Muhammad

(1969-02-12) 12 February 1969 (age 55)
Maradun, North-Western State (now in Zamfara State), Nigeria
Political party All Progressives Congress (2021–present)
Other political
affiliations
Spouses
  • Aisha Matawalle
  • Balkisu Matawalle
  • Fatimah Matawalle
  • Sadiya Matawalle
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Politician
  • teacher

Bello Muhammad popularly known as Bello Matawalle (born 12 February 1969) is a Nigerian politician and teacher who has served as the minister of state for defence since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023. [1] [2]

Contents

After briefly serving in the Abacha-era state house of assembly and serving as a state commissioner from 1999 to 2003 in the Ahmad Sani Yerima administration in the Fourth Republic, he first won an elected office in 2003 as a member of the House of Representatives for Bakura/Maradun and retained the office until 2015 first as a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party before switching to the People's Democratic Party in 2011. Four years after losing his Bakura/Maradun Constituency seat in 2015, Matawalle became the 2019 PDP gubernatorial nominee and won the office after a Supreme Court ruling disqualified the original winner. In 2021, he defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress after a defection rally in Gusau alongside most Zamfara State elected officials.

Early life and education

Bello Muhammad was born 12 February 1969, in Maradun, which at the time was in the North-Western State. He obtained First School Leaving Certificate from Maradun Township Primary School in 1979. He graduated from VTC Bunza in 1984. He attended Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and later went to Thames Valley University, London. [3]

Political career

Matawalle worked as a teacher at Government Girls College, Moriki and Kwatarkoshi before joining the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. Matawalle's first shot in politics was in 1998 when he ran for a house of assembly seat and won after he left the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Abuja, joining the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) which consisted of politicians such as Ambassador Isa Aliyu Mohammed Argungu (Sarkin Yakin Kabbi) former Minister of Water Resources and National Chairman of the party, Ibrahim Gusau former pro tem National Chairman of the party, Atiku Abubakar, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Attahiru Bafarawa, Adamu Aliero, Suleiman Takuma, Ibrahim Kura Mohammed, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki and Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya but after the death of Sani Abacha, Nigerian Military Head of State on 8 June 1998, Abdulsalami Abubakar, his successor, dissolved the political parties and announced that elections would hold in 1999.

Between 1999 and 2003 he served as Zamfara State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Commissioner for Environment, Rural Development and then Commissioner for Youth and Sports.

Matawalle was elected into the House of Representatives by his constituents Bakura/Maradun in May 2003 on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Matawalle was re-elected in 2007 still on the platform of the ANPP only to defect to PDP on which platform he was re-elected for a third term in 2011.

Matawalle polled 189,452 in the March polls as against the 534,541 votes for Muktar Idris, the APC candidate.

Muktar Idris was at first, issued the certificate of return, however, the court of appeal in Sokoto ordered that the INEC should withdraw the certificate. [4]

The Supreme Court later pronounced that the votes cast for the APC in the election as wasted and ordered that the candidate with the second highest votes be sworn in on Wednesday. This is because the APC failed to conduct primary election for all the candidates in Zamfara State. [5]

Defection to APC

On 1 June 2021, Matawalle dissolved his Executive Council, reportedly in preparation for a party switch to the APC set to happen around June 12. [6] Matawalle however, denied that the cabinet dissolution was connected to a party switch and claimed to have not made a decision on changing parties nor set a date. [7]

On 27 June, President Muhammadu Buhari's Personal Media aide Bashir Ahmad said Matawalle had joined the APC. The party switch was later confirmed by Matawalle's spokesperson Ibrahim Dosara, who said Matawalle would formally announce the defection on June 29. [8] On June 29, Matawalle, along with all 3 Zamfara Senators, 6 of 7 Representatives, and all 24 House of Assembly members, officially switched to the APC at a rally in Gusau attended by other APC Governors; notably Deputy Governor Mahdi Mohammed Gusau and Anka/Mafara Representative Kabiru Yahaya remained in the PDP. Mai Mala Buni, Yobe State Governor and APC Caretaker Chairman, immediately dissolved all party caretaker committees in Zamfara State and appointed Matawalle as Zamfara APC Leader. [9]

Personal life

Matawalle is married to four wives and has children. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zamfara State</span> State of Nigeria

Zamfara is a state in northwestern Nigeria. The capital of Zamfara state is Gusau and its current governor is Dauda Lawal. Until 1996, the area was part of Sokoto State.

Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya is a Nigerian politician who has served in the Senate of Nigeria since 2007 representing the Kano South constituency of Kano State. He is a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

Hassan Muhammad Gusau, known as Hassan Nasiha, is a Nigerian politician who served as deputy governor of Zamfara State from 2022 to 2023. He took office in 2022 following the impeachment of Mahdi Mohammed Gusau. He was appointed deputy governor by Governor Bello Matawalle after Mahdi Mohammed Gusau was impeached by the Zamfara State House of Assembly on 23 February 2022.

Alhaji Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari is a Nigerian politician who was elected Governor of Zamfara State in the 26 April 2011 national election, running on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform. Following the merger of the ANPP and several other opposition parties into the now-governing All Progressives Congress, Yari became a member of the All Progressives Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dauda Lawal</span> Nigerian politician and banker (born 1965)

Dauda Lawal is a Nigerian banker and politician who is the governor of Zamfara state. He was elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections defeating the incumbent Governor Bello Matawalle of the APC.

Mukhtar Shehu Idris is a Nigerian administrator and politician. He was the Governor-elect of Zamfara State in the 2019 gubernatorial election under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC). Five days to his inauguration as governor of Zamfara State the Supreme Court annulled the election of Idris and all APC candidates in the 2019 elections and ordered Independent National Electoral Commission to declare all first runners in the election who satisfied the requirements of the law winners of the polls. His major challenger for the nomination of the APC for the governorship election in the state, Kabir Marafa [marafan gusau] had gone to court on the grounds that APC in Zamfara did not conduct primaries and prayed the court to disqualify all candidates of the party in the 2019 polls. Opposition People's Democratic Party candidates who lost at the polls were declared winners and became the major beneficiaries of the crisis in the APC. In January 2020, APC approached the Supreme Court for review of its earlier judgment but in a ruling on the 27 of March, 2020 the court declined a review of its own judgment which it said it is final and bidding on all parties in the case.

Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau is a Nigerian politician and lawyer, he served as deputy governor of Zamfara State from 2019 until his impeachment in 2022. He was the Presidential Campaign Chairman 2023 election. He is a son of General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau who is a former Minister of Defence, Chief of Army Staff and National Security Adviser of Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Nigerian gubernatorial elections</span> Nigerian election

The 2019 Nigerian gubernatorial elections were held for state governors in 31 out of 36 Nigerian states. All but three were held on 2 March 2019 with the election for Rivers State being postponed until 4 April, while the Kogi State and Bayelsa State elections were both held on 16 November. The last regular gubernatorial elections for all states were in 2015.

The 2019 Zamfara State gubernatorial election occurred on 9 March 2019. APC's Mukhtar Shehu Idris polled 67.41% of the total popular votes, defeating PDP's Bello Matawalle who got 23.89% of the total votes and trailed behind by a margin of 345,089 votes, and several minor party candidates. APC swept the entire 14 LGAs of the state, winning in all. It was, however, Matawalle, who was later declared winner by the INEC and sworn in as governor after the verdict of the Supreme Court, which declared Idris' votes as 'wasted'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections</span>

The 2023 Nigerian gubernatorial elections were held for state governors in 31 out of 36 Nigerian states. All but three elections were held on 18 March—concurrent with elections to every state house of assembly, three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections—while the Imo State, Kogi State, and Bayelsa State elections will be held on 11 November. The last regular gubernatorial elections for all states were in 2019. All states have a two term limit for Governors which makes 18 incumbent governors ineligible for re-election.

The 2023 Jigawa State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Jigawa State, concurrent with elections to the Jigawa State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—was later scheduled to hold three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Kano State gubernatorial election</span> 2023 gubernatorial election in Kano State, Nigeria

The 2023 Kano State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Kano State, concurrent with elections to the Kano State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—was held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term. Abba Kabir Yusuf of New Nigerian People won the election.

The 2023 Kebbi State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Kebbi State, concurrent with elections to the Kebbi State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term.

The 2023 Zamfara State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Zamfara State, concurrent with elections to the Zamfara State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—was held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Bello Matawalle has been renominated by his party and was defeated by Dauda Lawal of PDP on 18th of March 2023.

The 2019 Nigerian Senate election in Zamfara State was held on February 23, 2019, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Zamfara State. Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari representing Zamfara West, Aliyu Ikra Bilbis representing Zamfara Central and Tijjani Yahaya Kaura representing Zamfara North all won on the platform of All Progressives Congress. But the Supreme Court of Nigeria on 24 May 2019 sacked all the candidates of the All Progressives Congress that won elections in Zamfara State and said that candidates of parties with the highest number of valid votes cast with the required spread stands elected. Lawali Hassan Anka representing Zamfara West, Hassan Muhammed Gusau representing Zamfara Central and Sahabi Alhaji Yaú representing Zamfara North all on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party replaced the sacked senators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Nigerian Senate election</span> Elections in Nigeria

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections were held on 25 February 2023 in all 109 senatorial districts where voters elected senators using first-past-the-post voting. The last regular senatorial elections for all districts were in 2019.

The 2019 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Zamfara State was held on February 23, 2019, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Zamfara State, Nigeria. The All Progressives Congress won all seats but the Supreme Court nullified the elections of all the candidates of the APC in the elections. The court ruled that the APC did not conduct valid primaries in the build-up to the elections. A unanimous judgement by a five-member panel of Judges decided that the party had no valid candidate and cannot be said to have won the general elections.

The 2015 Zamfara State House of Assembly election was held on April 11, 2015, to elect members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Zamfara State House of Assembly.

The 2019 Zamfara State House of Assembly election was held on March 9, 2019, to elect members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Zamfara State House of Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Zamfara State</span> 2023 Senate elections in Zamfara

The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Zamfara State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Zamfara State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Gov Matawalle's shaky steps in Zamfara politics". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  2. ↑ "Concerns in Zamfara as Governor Matawalle dithers on banditry report". 10 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Biography of Mr Bello Matawalle (Zamfara State Governor) | Noisemakers". Latest Nigeria news Today. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  4. ↑ Odunsi, Wale (27 May 2019). "Zamfara: INEC confirms withdrawing 64 certificates of return, to retrieve more". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  5. ↑ Iroanusi, QueenEsther (24 May 2019). "PROFILE: Bello Matawalle: PDP candidate who lost election but could be Zamfara governor" . Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  6. ↑ Maishanu, Abubakar Ahmadu. "Zamfara governor Matawalle to join APC on June 12 – Source". Premium Times . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Maishanu, Abubakar Ahmadu. "I am not defecting to APC on June 12 – Zamfara governor". Premium Times . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  8. ↑ Ajayi, Adebola (27 June 2021). "Zamfara Governor Bello Matawalle joins APC". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  9. ↑ Altine, Maiharaji (29 June 2021). "Matawalle dumps PDP, becomes APC leader in Zamfara". The Punch . Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Profile of Zamfara Governor-elect, Hon Bello Matawalle". Desert Herald Newspaper. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.