Bello Matawalle faces accusations from Northern PDP elders of using money and influence to engineer defections ahead of the 2027 elections.
Bello Matawalle, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, has been accused by the Northern Elders Unity Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party of orchestrating large-scale defections from the opposition party in the North-West through alleged financial inducements and intimidation.
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In a statement released by the Forum’s National Secretary, Dr Abbas Sadauki, the group condemned what it described as the minister’s “desperate antics” to weaken the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Matawalle has been using his ministerial position and ill-gotten wealth to lure PDP members—particularly in Zamfara and Kaduna states—into joining the ruling All Progressives Congress,” Dr Sadauki claimed after a meeting with party elders from Kaura Namoda, Zurmi, Tsafe, and Bungudu local government areas.
He described the alleged campaign as “a direct assault on democracy and the right to political choice,” warning that the minister’s tactics could destabilise the region’s political balance.
The Forum further alleged that Bello Matawalle’s actions were part of a broader strategy to dismantle opposition structures across the North-West, thereby consolidating the APC’s dominance ahead of 2027.
“Dismantling opposition groups through financial inducement and coercion is a bad omen for democracy,” Sadauki said.
“Many loyal PDP members are being deceived into believing they will find greener pastures in the APC. This is dangerous for democratic stability.”
The Forum called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rein in the minister, insisting that his conduct could “further polarise the political landscape and undermine fair competition.”
“We urge President Tinubu to call Matawalle to order before he causes irreversible damage to Nigeria’s democratic balance,” the statement added.
Recent investigations by Arewa PUNCH indicated that over 24,000 PDP members—including several ward and local government executives—have defected to the APC in Zamfara alone in recent months, fuelling tensions between the ruling and opposition parties.
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While Bello Matawalle has yet to publicly respond to the allegations, political observers say the accusations highlight growing friction between Northern opposition figures and the ruling party as the 2027 election cycle draws nearer.
