PDP member retracts protest against Matawalle, alleges state-sponsored plot

A member of Nigeria’s opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has publicly disavowed his role in a recent protest targeting Bello Matawalle, the country’s Minister of State for Defence, claiming the demonstration was a politically motivated scheme orchestrated by the Zamfara State Government.

Kamilu Ibrahim, who identified himself as an active PDP member and one of the protest’s organisers, issued a statement on Saturday retracting his involvement and apologising to Matawalle.

“It’s important to note that I am not an indigene of Zamfara State, and none of the participants come from Zamfara State.”

He alleged that the protest was not driven by genuine grievances but was instead sponsored by Zamfara’s PDP-led government under Governor Dauda Lawal Dare to discredit Matawalle, a prominent figure in the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibrahim said Dauda promised us $100 to each protester, and we have over 330 members. He has not kept his promise.

“The reason we are begging Matawalle to forgive us is that we found out we were fooled and misled by false information to deceive the public.

“We are sorry for any damage we have caused you, Ibrahim told Matawalle.

“I believed at the time that our actions were justified,” Ibrahim said.

“However, after reviewing the facts and listening to credible reports, I now realise that the allegations against Matawalle are unfounded and politically motivated.”

Ibrahim further claimed that the organisers of the protest were not APC members, as reported in some media outlets, but PDP loyalists acting on instructions from the Zamfara State Government. He accused Governor Lawal of orchestrating the campaign to undermine Matawalle for political gain.

Ibrahim suggested that Governor Lawal has been avoiding a summons by Nigeria’s National Assembly, fearing that a federal inquiry could expose administrative failures and potentially lead to the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

“Governor Lawal is deliberately avoiding the National Assembly’s invitation,” Ibrahim alleged, citing concerns that an investigation could reveal “the truth” about the state’s security and governance challenges.

Ibrahim’s statement casts fresh doubt on the credibility of the allegations against him, framing them as part of a broader political vendetta.

In his statement, Ibrahim expressed regret for his role in the protest and sought Matawalle’s forgiveness.

“I sincerely apologise to Honourable Bello Matawalle for the role I played,” he said, vowing not to participate in “such deceitful agendas” in the future.