The Senatorial aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial zone, Dr. Sani Shinkafi, has accused the Minister of State Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, of allegedly trying to terminate his life.
At his residence in Gusau, the state capital, on Monday, Shinkafi alleged that the minister had sent some people to kill him on several occasions, but they did not succeed.
He said: ‘Matawalle has been trying to eliminate me just for political reasons.
‘The first time was in Gusau during the wedding prayer at Rabi, a jumuat mosque, where some heavily armed men descended on me in an attempt to kill me, if not for the quick intervention of the people around’.
‘The second time was in my house in Abuja, where a woman was caught with a weapon who confessed after being dealt with that she was sent by the Minister to kill me’.
‘I don’t know why this man (Matawalle) doesn’t want me alive after all the help I rendered to him when he was trying to secure a second term (as state governor) in 2023’.
Shinkafi further said that the Minister filed a petition against him with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alleging that he collected money from the government without executing any project.
‘In the petition, he said that I collected money from the government during his tenure using my company, but did not execute any project.
‘He even said that I was sponsoring terrorists just to tarnish my image, but God is so kind that the people of the state, in particular and the country in general know the role I have been playing in fighting banditry, Shinkafi said.
He maintained that the money he collected from the government during Matawalle’s tenure was for his (Matawalle’s) re-election campaign and that the funds were spent for that purpose.
Shinkafi said that the Minister was angrier with him because he purchased a form for the senatorial primary election, and refused to step down for consensus.
He said: ‘He (Matawalle) is not happy that I have now purchased nomination form for senatorial primary election, and I said that I will not step down for anybody.
‘I am calling on my family, friends and political associates to note that, if I am killed or abducted at this time, they should blame nobody but Matawalle.
‘He would be held responsible if I happen to die these days’.
Efforts to speak with the Minister failed because he did not answer the phone after several attempts.
But his former Director General for Media and Publicity, Yusuf Idris said that there was no iota of truth in all the accusations levelled against the Minister.
He said that Shinkafi could not substantiate his allegations against Matawalle, describing the claims as baseless and untrue.
He said: ‘Dr. Shinkafi is just trying to smear the good image of the Minister.
‘Let me tell you, the Minister is not even aware of all this rubbish coming from Dr. Shinkafi’.
