Zamfara govt distances self from purported rigging memo

The Zamfara State Government has distanced itself from a purported memo allegedly raised and signed by Bashir Maru, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Bello Matawalle.

A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Zailani Bappa, said the said memo is a “false and shabby attempt” to smear the Matawalle administration.

The statement said: “It is with utmost concern that we address an uncharitable happenstance that is trending especially on the social media over an alleged memo raised and signed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun).

“A copy of the purported memo, which is said to be signed by him was made available to us via a social media platform.

“At first, we did not intend to respond to the idiotic memo but for the interest it has generated, unfortunately, even to the responsible conventional media.

“Categorically, the said memo is nothing but a shabby, false, concocted and amateurish attempt to smear the good name of His Excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed (Matawallen Maradun) and tarnish the image of his administration.”

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the said memo contained false and fabricated information on “spurious and imaginary allegation of a plan to rig the oncoming bye election for the position of a representative of Bakura constituency at the state Legislature”.

The memo contained the names of prominent persons who are believed to be strong stakeholders feared by the opposition, with the intent of crushing them out of the fight for the bye election.

The statement said: “What is very significant to note is that the purported memo did not reflect, nor tally with our style of writing a memo.

“The content of the letter headed paper itself did not tally with our in-house style under this administration.

“Significantly enough, and most importantly too, the signature is not that of our Deputy Chief of Staff.

“The person who did it obviously had no access to the original signature.

“In fact, when we read the purported memo, we could not but wonder what a callous forgery the letter was as it betrayed an amateurish attempt at implicating us.”

The statement assured that the blackmailers would be fished out and brought to book as this poses a serious security challenge to the state in order to avoid opening a floodgate for more blackmails.