BREAKING: Matawalle Slams Lawal Over ‘Empty Treasury’ Claim, Reveals Actual Figures

The Minister of State for Defence and immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has rubbished allegations by his successor, Governor Dauda Lawal, that he left behind am empty treasury.

Lawal, during an interview on Arise News, claimed that Matawalle left only ₦4 million in the state’s account.

However, speaking through his former Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, in a press conference held in Kaduna, Matawalle stated that his administration handed over ₦14 billion in bond proceeds, ₦2.6 billion in World Bank funds, and several other grants to the new government.

He called on Governor Lawal to stop the “blame game” and focus on governance.

“We are compelled by the circumstances… when he granted an interview to Arise TV… to respond to some tissues of lies and concoctions of the Governor,” Dosara said.

Dosara insisted that the average monthly allocation under Matawalle’s government was ₦3.2 billion, which he described as insufficient to meet the monthly wage bill of ₦2.1 billion.

He also rejected the claim of four and a half months of unpaid salaries, stating that only three months were owed. He blamed payment delays on Governor Lawal’s alleged threats to banks.

Matawalle also criticized the current administration’s approach to security, citing recent attacks and abductions, and accused Lawal of misrepresenting the state’s progress.

He listed several issues, including nonpayment of WAEC and NECO fees, incomplete road projects, and poor implementation of the minimum wage.