RE: PURPORTED REMOVAL OF ZAMFARA PDP GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE (DR. DAUDA LAWAN DARE) FROM THE NATIONAL AWARD

By Faruku Ahmed Gusau

My attention has been drawn to a press conference by Zamfara state APC Publicity secretary, on Wednesday where he falsely announced that the the name of Zamfara state PDP gubernatorial candidate, Dr Dauda Lawan Dare was removed from the list of the National Merit Award by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 I was not supposed to comment on this thrush considering the fact that all what APC said during the press conference was a complete rubbish, as there was no iota of truth in all what he has vomitted but for the benefit of our people in Zamfara state and Nigeria at large, I deem it fit to clears the blander.

In the press conference, APC was telling all sorts of lies before the press at its headquarters in Gusau where they tried to explain the reasons why our Gubernatorial candidate Honourable Dr. Dauda Lawan Dare was removed from the National Merit Award. 

To keep record straight, our amiable governorship candidate Dr Dauda Lawan Dare was never removed from the list as speculators of the opposition APC in the state have been telling people in order to smear the good reputation of our candidate.

We were not unaware of the fact that, the state government under the leadership of Governor Bello Mattawalle was not comfortable with Dr Dauda Lawan Dare's inclusion in this year's National Merit Award as such he did all he could to make sure that, the name should be removed.

The Governor and APC stalwarts in the state see the National Merit Award to Zamfara state PDP gubernatorial candidate as an endorsement of his contest by President Muhammadu Buhari.

APC and their  likes were not aware that, Dr Dauda Lawan Dare was not even in the country as he was attending a strategic business meeting in South Korea.

He made a mockery of himself during his press conference when he told a pack of lies against Dr Dauda Lawan Dare just to expose the ego of his paymaster.

During the press conference, APC assumed the position of the presidency, the EFCC and the ICPC just in an attempt the smear the image of Dr Dauda Lawan Dare whose political popularity is growing by the day and is giving them sleepless nights.

He based his perception of the matter on the wrong allegation of corrupt practices against Dr Dauda Lawan Dare by the EFCC which has long been quashed and dismissed by the Supreme Court of justice in a unanimous judgement in March 12, 2021.

APC and their likes should refer to the judgement of the Federal High Court which reads as follows:

The decision of the Federal High Court, Coram Justice Hassan J.delivered in suit No. FHC/L/CS/13/2017 on 16 February 2017 are hereby set aside. The order of final forfeiture of the sum of N9,080 billion to the Federal government of Nigeria was set aside by the court. The Court has also  the go the said N9,080 be returned to appellant (Dauda Lawan Dare) forthwith.

The above judgement delivered by the court of appeal, Lagos division was in appeal No. CA/LAG/CV/480/2019 Dauda Lawan VS EFCC and ANOR dated 25th March 2020.

The Supreme Court judgement unanimously affirmed and upheld the above decision of the court of Appeal in appeal no.SC212/2020, EFCC Vs Dauda Lawan. By this final judgement of the Supreme Court, the Apex court has conclusively upheld, affirmed and determined that the order of the final forfeiture of the sum of N9,080 billion made against Dr Dauda Lawan Dare is set aside and rescinded and that the said sum of N9,080 billion be returned to Dr Dauda Lawal forthwith.

So the above judgement given by the Supreme Court of Nigeria finally and conclusively brings to a close the malicious persecution by the EFCC against Dauda Lawal which began in May 2016 when the EFCC invented the unfounded allegation of money laundering and obtaining monies suspected to be proceeded of unlawful activity against Dr Dauda Lawal.

It is also for APC  publicity Secretary and his paymaster to note that by the final judgement dated October 7, 2020, the Federal High Court Lagos division discharged and acquitted Dr Dauda Lawal of the offences of money laundering, obtaining monies suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and at the other unsubstantiated charges brought against him by the EFCC in charge no. FHC/L419C/2018 Federal Republic of Nigeria vs Dauda Lawal.

So going by the above litigation, everybody knows that the hands of Dauda Lawal are clean as cleared by a competent court of jurisdiction and anybody who wants to see him as as offender is only fooling himself.

Talking about character and commitment, towards development, Dauda Lawal has written his name in gold in this regard. He has stood out as a man of integrity with proven track records of Academic excellence and capacity building in various disciplines. 

He has never been involved in any form of forgery or fraud of  any kind. He keeps to his promise and adheres to principles of respect and decorum.

Finally, I want to advise APC please concentrate on the achievements recorded by the  paymaster instead of wasting his time, fighting someone who has already gained acceptance by the people of the state.

Faruku Ahmed Gusau

Deputy Director Campaign Organization for Dr. Dauda Lawal Dare