This was coming barely three days after his inauguration after he defeated the former governor during the 2023 general election.
Governor Dauda Lawal Dare of Zamfara State has accused his predecessor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, of stealing 17 government vehicles and looted items from the state government residence, including televisions and cookers.
This was coming barely three days after his inauguration after he defeated the former governor during the 2023 general election.
In the March governorship election, Dare of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was seeking a second term.
During a phone-in show on Vision FM in Gusau, the state capital, the governor said his predecessor also left an empty treasury and a massive debt.
He was quoted by Daily Trust saying , “Former governor Bello Matawalle had gone away with 17 vehicles from his office and those in the deputy governor’s office claiming that the vehicles are his personal belongings. In fact, not even the office equipment was spared.
“The atrocities are beyond comprehension, I’ve never seen crass irresponsibility like this one. But, with good planning I’m assuring the citizens of the state that we will do our best to correct the anomalies,” Dare said.
However, the former governor's Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media, and Communication, Zailani Bappa, could not be reached for comment as his cellphone lines were turned off.
SaharaReporters had in May reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it would arrest Matawalle, for alleged N70billion fraud once he handed over on May 29 and he was no longer protected by the constitutional immunity.
“The real issue with Matawalle is that he is being investigated by the EFCC, over allegation of monumental corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70billion.
“The money which was sourced as loan from an old generation bank purportedly for the execution of projects across the local government areas of the state, was allegedly diverted by the governor through proxies and contractors who received payment for contracts that were not executed.
“The Commission’s investigations so far reveal that more than 100 companies have received payments from the funds, with no evidence of service rendered to the state. Some of the contractors who had been invited and quizzed by the Commission, made startling revelations on how they were allegedly compelled by the governor to return the funds received from the state coffers back to him through his aides after converting the same to United States Dollars,” the EFCC had said.