By Musa Ubandawaki
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has issued a strong warning to opposition politicians, urging them to desist from actions and utterances capable of inciting Nigerians against the constitutionally elected administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying national interest must always take precedence over partisan politics.
The minister particularly condemned the reported decision by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to engage a foreign lobbying firm to circulate decades-old documents relating to President Tinubu in the United States, describing the move as regrettable, unpatriotic and detrimental to Nigeria’s international image.
Matawalle maintained that such actions neither strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions nor contribute meaningful solutions to the country’s pressing socio-economic and security challenges.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Personal Assistant on Media, Ahmad Dan Wudil, the minister said opposition leaders should redirect their energies toward supporting government efforts aimed at tackling insecurity, fostering national unity and improving the welfare of Nigerians rather than embarking on campaigns designed to discredit the country abroad.
