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The Minister of State for Defence and former Governor of Zamfara State, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, on Friday said the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirming the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vindicated President Bola Tinubu against allegations that he interferes with the judiciary or is working to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
Matawalle said the court’s decision dismissing a suit challenging the leadership of the ADC under former Senate President David Mark had once again demonstrated that President Tinubu remained committed to the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, contrary to claims by opposition politicians and some members of the political elite.
According to the minister, critics of the administration had repeatedly accused the President of influencing judicial decisions and using state institutions to weaken opposition parties, but the outcome of the ADC leadership case had exposed those allegations as baseless.
Matawalle, in a statement, maintained that the President neither interfered with the courts nor sought to influence judicial outcomes in matters involving political parties or political actors.
“Tinubu’s democratic credentials were well established long before he assumed office as President, having played a significant role in Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement.
“For that reason, the President understood the importance of protecting democratic institutions and would never undermine the judiciary or support actions capable of eroding Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
“The independence of the judiciary is non-negotiable under President Tinubu because he believes that democracy can only thrive where the courts are allowed to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without interference,” he said.
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Matawalle criticised what he described as sustained propaganda by some opposition figures, accusing them of deliberately spreading false narratives to portray the President as an enemy of democracy and an advocate of a one-party system.
According to him, “It was ironic that the same critics who blamed the President whenever court decisions did not favour them failed to acknowledge judgments that clearly reflected the independence of the judiciary.”
He urged political leaders to place national interest above partisan considerations, insisting that opposition politics should be based on facts rather than misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in democratic institutions.
The minister also defended the Tinubu administration’s handling of insecurity, saying some critics had extended the same campaign of misinformation to the country’s security situation by attempting to diminish the sacrifices and achievements of the Armed Forces.
“Rather than encouraging troops risking their lives to defend the nation, some political actors had continued to spread negative narratives aimed at discrediting ongoing military operations,” he alleged.
Highlighting recent gains by security forces, Matawalle said troops under Operation Fansan Yamma had recorded major successes by dismantling several bandits’ enclaves, eliminating notorious gang leaders and recovering communities previously under the control of criminal elements across the North-West.
He therefore assured Nigerians that President Tinubu remained fully committed to ending insecurity and would continue to provide the Armed Forces and other security agencies with the resources, equipment and political support required to sustain the momentum against criminal elements.
