The All Progressives Congress (APC), North-West Zone, has asked the members of the opposition party in Zamfara, accusing the Minister of State, Defence, Bello Matawalle of giving palliatives to bandits, to come forward with their evidence or risk prosecution.
Musa Mada, Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, disclosed this while addressing a press briefing in Kaduna on Sunday.
Mada said that the party welcomed positive criticisms from the opposition, but such criticisms should not violate the provisions of the freedom of speech.
He accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the opposition government in Zamfara of persistent slandering of the immediate past Governor of the State, Matawalle.
Mada stated that the grievous allegation against Matawalle can never be overlooked.
He said that the sponsors of the fake news against the minister must provide proof of the alleged foodstuffs’ distribution.
Alternatively, they must tender an apology to the minister on the pages of at least two national dailies within two weeks from Sunday.
Mada said, “If no action is taken from the side of the sponsors of this fake news on expiration of the ultimatum, on 14th April 2024, legal action will be instituted against them.
“It has come to our notice that some unscrupulous elements in this geopolitical zone, particularly Zamfara, made it their daily habit of using instruments of mainstream and the new media to tarnish the image of our party leaders.
“Similarly, it is a well known fact that the PDP opposition government in Zamfara made a name for itself in slandering Matawalle
”As a party, we concede that slandering any of our members with ulterior motives is as good as attacking the structural foundation of our great party.
”Which is intolerable, let alone defaming the character and questioning the integrity of our leaders who earned their reputation through selfless service to the greater good of the entire nation.”
According to Mada, APC welcomes positive criticism from the opposition that does not violate freedom of speech, adding, ” We will not condone any form of vituperation that overstepped boundaries of the provisions of the laws of the land.’.