The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has exposed what it describes as a politically motivated smear campaign against the Minister of State for Defence and former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, allegedly orchestrated by agents loyal to current Zamfara Governor, Dauda Lawal.
In a firm rebuttal issued on Tuesday evening, CNF Secretary Abubakar Suleiman disassociated the Forum from a press conference held on Monday in Kaduna, during which a man identifying himself as CNF chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad Sani, accused Matawalle of financial mismanagement.
Suleiman described the event as a “shameful charade”, claiming it was sponsored with a ₦200 million bribe to stage a fake attack against Matawalle using the CNF name.
He alleged that the bribe originated from individuals linked to Governor Lawal, in a deliberate attempt to damage the former governor’s image and divert attention from the alleged failures of the current Zamfara administration.
“Governor Dauda Lawal and his people have tried everything possible to tarnish Matawalle’s image. This time, they bribed a handful of desperate individuals with ₦200 million to hijack our platform and stage a scripted attack. We disown that charade in its entirety,” Suleiman stated.
He affirmed that CNF did not authorise the press conference and had, in fact, previously warned Aliyu Sani not to involve the Forum in any political vendetta.
“No meeting was held, no mandate was given. What happened was the personal decision of a few compromised individuals. They do not speak for us,” he declared.
Suleiman further alleged that over ₦10 billion in local government funds had been diverted by Lawal’s administration to sponsor smear campaigns against Matawalle and other federal figures, while Zamfara continues to battle insecurity and poor governance.
“Zamfara is on its knees. Insecurity is worsening, people are suffering, and instead of solving real problems, this administration is spending public funds on media stunts,” he said.
He also revealed that CNF members refused to associate with Aliyu Sani during Monday’s briefing after discovering that he had recruited non-members and political thugs, offering them ₦200,000 each — money which Suleiman claims can be traced back to the governor’s camp.
In a strong appeal to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Suleiman urged the anti-graft agency to resist being used in political witch-hunts and instead investigate Governor Lawal’s financial dealings.
“We challenge the EFCC to look into the billions received and mismanaged by Dauda Lawal in the past two years. His hands are not clean,” he asserted.
The CNF warned that unless the false claims are retracted and a public apology is issued, the Forum will pursue legal action to protect its reputation.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, justice, and development, the CNF emphasized that it will not be used as a pawn in political battles or manipulated to serve private interests.