The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has issued a stern warning to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that it would amount to a grave and irreversible strategic error for the Federal Government to contemplate the removal of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, given his proven capacity, work ethic, and central role in Nigeria’s evolving security architecture.
In a detailed and strongly worded press statement released on Tuesday, the pan–Niger Delta youth body described Dr. Matawalle as one of the most effective, hardworking, and politically indispensable ministers in the current administration, stressing that any attempt to sideline him would not only undermine the progress recorded in the defence sector but also embolden forces opposed to President Tinubu’s reform agenda.
According to NDYC, the sustained calls for Matawalle’s removal are neither organic nor patriotic, but are being driven by entrenched enemies of Nigeria’s security progress and political adversaries of President Tinubu who are determined to lure the President into making a costly miscalculation.
The youth group noted that since his appointment, Dr. Matawalle has demonstrated uncommon dedication to duty, aligning seamlessly with the President’s security vision while working closely with the military hierarchy to confront banditry, insurgency, arms trafficking, and organized criminal networks across multiple flashpoints. NDYC argued that such commitment and institutional knowledge cannot be casually discarded without severe consequences for national stability.
The Congress further alleged that the opposition to Matawalle is part of a broader orchestration to weaken Tinubu’s inner circle, destabilize the defence sector, and reverse the modest but tangible gains achieved in recent months. It warned that removing a performing minister under pressure from political agitators would validate blackmail as a legitimate tool of governance.
NDYC also took aim at a recent statement credited to the Odua People’s Assembly, which called for Matawalle’s removal. The group dismissed the organization as faceless, unaccountable, and politically compromised, describing it as a congregation of paid troublemakers and ethnic contractors whose stock-in-trade is manufactured outrage and opportunistic activism. According to NDYC, such groups neither speak for the Yoruba people nor represent any credible civic constituency.
In its statement, the Congress maintained that no responsible government dismantles its defence leadership at a time of persistent security threats, warning that doing so would demoralize security agencies, embolden criminal elements, and derail ongoing operations.
Turning its attention to Zamfara State politics, NDYC advised Governor Dauda Lawal to prioritize governance over political distractions. The group noted that Zamfara continues to grapple with acute security challenges, humanitarian crises, and developmental deficits, arguing that the governor’s focus should be on delivering dividends of democracy rather than engaging in what it described as a sustained political campaign against his predecessor.
NDYC emphasized that Dr. Matawalle, now operating at the federal level, is fully immersed in national duties and has shown no indication of being distracted by local political hostilities. It described attempts to drag him into state-level disputes as futile and counterproductive.
The youth body also expressed concern over the recent posture of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), accusing the student organization of drifting from its core mandate. NDYC warned that threats of protest allegedly sponsored by unnamed paymasters and political mischief-makers risk turning students into expendable tools in elite power struggles.
According to NDYC, Nigerian students should be at the forefront of educational advocacy—demanding improved funding, infrastructure, research opportunities, and employability, not participating in protests engineered to destabilize the Federal Government.
Beyond governance and security, NDYC highlighted Dr. Matawalle’s strategic political relevance ahead of the 2027 general elections, noting that his grassroots influence, northern acceptability, and loyalty to President Tinubu make him a stabilizing force within the ruling coalition. The group argued that undermining such an asset at a critical time would weaken the administration both electorally and institutionally.
The Congress concluded by condemning, in unequivocal terms, all sponsored protests, propaganda campaigns, and coordinated attacks aimed at discrediting the Minister of State for Defence. It urged President Tinubu to remain resolute, discerning, and immune to political blackmail, insisting that competence, loyalty, and results must remain the guiding principles of governance.
NDYC reaffirmed its confidence in Dr. Bello Matawalle, describing him as one of the finest performers in the Tinubu cabinet and a key pillar in Nigeria’s quest for security, stability, and political continuity.