Blueprint Correspondent reports that the hitherto feuding camps in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara converged in a stakeholders meeting presumably in search of elusive peace. Of all that was said, no emphatic pronouncement on party leadership in the state, save for the surprising endorsement of Governor Dauda Lawal for a second term by the Minister of State for Defence, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
The expansive hall at the Zamfara Government House in Gusau was unusually quiet on Saturday morning, despite being packed with the who is who of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ministers, commissioners, former lawmakers, ward chairmen, and youth leaders all sat under one roof many of them not on speaking terms weeks ago.
This was the APC stakeholders’ meeting, the first major gathering since Governor Dauda Lawal’s defection to the party triggered a crisis that stalled congresses, split camps, and left the Zamfara APC without elected state executives.
On defecting to APC
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara explained he defected to the APC to align with the four former governors and the federal government in efforts to restore law and order in the state.
“Distinguished stakeholders, our decision to join the APC was not just political but a strategic move to support Zamfara’s repositioning. It positions us to work with the federal government, leverage national initiatives, and contribute to the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
“My transition to the APC was a deliberate, well-considered decision aimed at strengthening governance, enhancing State Federal collaboration, expanding development opportunities, and accelerating service delivery.”
Lawal on unity and the “rescue mission”
“Fellow leaders and stakeholders, while we may represent different political backgrounds and interests, the rescue mission we lead is a mandate for every citizen of the state.
“It is not a mandate for any one group, section, or political tendency. It is a mandate to restore hope, rebuild institutions, secure our communities, and give our people a government that works for them.”
“As key stakeholders, ladies and gentlemen, our administration focuses on restoring stability, rebuilding institutions, and providing development in Zamfara State. In a short time, we have made significant progress through collective effort, disciplined leadership, and shared commitment.”
On 2027, party discipline and expectations:
The governor said, “With this new phase comes greater responsibility. We must manage expectations and pursue political interests with maturity, fairness, and strategic discipline.”
“Politics, by its nature, involves negotiation, compromise, and consensus-building. As the political space expands, so do desires and aspirations. It is important to recognise that while many seek opportunities, not all expectations can be met or accommodated urgently.”
“Leadership is not defined solely by positions. Political relevance comes from serving, influencing, and contributing to the State’s development.”
“I assure you that fairness, equity, and justice will continue to guide our decisions. We will uphold internal democracy, due process, and transparency in all our engagements. Loyalty to our party must be matched by discipline. We must avoid actions or statements that create division or weaken our collective resolve and standing.”
On security, collaboration
Lawal reiterated the need for a united front among top politicians in the state to tackle the insecurity confronting the state.”
He lauded President Bola Tinubu for ‘navigating the complex challenges in the country’ and for his support to Zamfara with security infrastructure, personnel and logistics to tackle insecurity in the state.
Lawal restated his administration’s commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders to address insecurity and ensure lasting peace.
Matawalle on security, 2027:
The Minister of State for Defence, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, set the tone. Standing before a party that once saw him as its lone federal anchor, he struck two notes: federal resolve on insecurity, and party unity for 2027.
“The federal government is deploying all necessary mechanisms to fight banditry affecting the North-West,” Matawalle told stakeholders. “We are committed to ensuring peace and normalcy return to all affected states.”
But it was his political declaration that drew murmurs. “I am going to support Governor Dauda Lawal to be re-elected for his second term and ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returns for his second term come 2027,” he said.
For a former governor, Matawalle who weeks earlier accused Lawal of sidelining him on party matters, the public endorsement was significant. It signaled, at least for now, a closing of ranks.
In the communique he read as Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle said stakeholders “expressed full support for President Tinubu and Governor Lawal’s re-election bids”.
He also said: “I have since withdrawn from the governorship race and I directed my supporters to cast their votes to Governor Dauda Lawal.
“I will purchase the form for Governor Dauda Lawal and I will do my very best to ensure that, he and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu win election in 2027.”
On party unity, the ex-governor stated, “The party was now more united in the state… All the leaders of the party are now together and have agreed to work for the progress of the party and I urge you all to resist any move aimed at fragmenting our great party. Remain loyal and avoid acts of sabotage.”
Why the meeting mattered
The stakes is high. Zamfara APC has been paralyzed since Lawal’s defection. A state congress slated for April 8, then April 22, failed to hold due to disputes over delegate lists and zoning. Matawalle had accused Lawal of consulting Senator Abdulaziz Yari but not him. Yari’s camp stayed silent. The result – no state executives, no direction.
Saturday’s meeting was framed as “a yardstick for addressing disunity among us,” in Matawalle’s words. In attendance were key figures from all three camps Lawal’s new loyalists, Matawalle’s old structure, and Yari’s grassroots base.
The unity question
“No meaningful development can be achieved in any political party without unity among its members,” Matawalle told the gathering. The line drew applause, but party insiders say unity remains fragile.
The dispute over who controls the state party structure is unresolved. The April 22 congress remains postponed with no new date. And Yari, though absent from the podium, still commands a bloc that insists on equitable sharing of positions.
A ward chairman from Tsafe, who asked not to be named, put it bluntly: “Today we shook hands. Tomorrow we go back to our wards to fight for slots. Until congress is done, this is just ceasefire.”
Security as political glue:
With banditry still ravaging rural Zamfara, security was the one issue that united the room. Matawalle, as Minister of State for Defence, tied federal security efforts to APC’s 2027 fortunes.
The subtext: a divided APC cannot coordinate with Abuja on security, and insecurity will cost votes. By backing Lawal, Matawalle links his federal clout to the governor’s state machinery — a pragmatic alliance, even if temporary.
What wasn’t said
Noticeably, absent was any timeline for the stalled state congress. No communiqué was issued on zoning, delegates, or caretaker committees. Senator Yari did not address the meeting. The National Working Committee has yet to intervene publicly.
That silence leaves questions: Is Matawalle’s endorsement of Lawal a strategic retreat, a realignment, or a move to box in Yari before congress? Will Lawal’s camp concede key party offices to Matawalle’s loyalists to keep the peace?
The road to 2027:
For now, Zamfara APC has projected unity. The optics of Matawalle, Lawal’s appointees, and party elders in one frame will calm nerves in Abuja.
But the test comes next. If the congress holds and produces executives acceptable to all three camps, Saturday’s meeting will be remembered as the truce that saved Zamfara APC. If it fails again, it will be seen as a photo op that papered over a split.
As one stakeholder left Government House, he summed up the mood: “We agreed to fight Tinubu’s enemies in 2027. We haven’t agreed who leads us to that fight.”
The stakeholders meeting was attended by the former governors of Zamfara state, Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima and Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi.