Zamfara state government has refuted allegations claiming Governor Dauda Lawal borrowed money, labeling such assertions as a product of an online newspaper’s characteristic of ‘gonzo journalism’.
An online newspaper had on Monday published a story with the headline ‘EXCLUSIVE: Budget Documents Expose Zamfara Governor Lawal’s False Claim of no Borrowing —N34 Billion Loans Recorded Under His Watch’.
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But in a swift response in Gusau, the Zamfara Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, dismissed the report by the online newspaper as false while lambasting the platform for enjoying “throwing curveballs of misinformation”.
The statement added that the online newspapers’s work is far from Yellow Journalism and “has evolved into gonzo journalism, which is characterised by a lack of objectivity in reporting.”
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Governor Dauda Lawal
The statement read in parts: “Our attention has been drawn to false information being spread by…a blog known for disseminating fake news to boost online traffic.
“During a live media chat last week, Governor Dauda Lawal highlighted his commitment to fiscal responsibility, reaffirming that he has not taken any local or international loans throughout his two years in office.
“But to our surprise, the purveyor general of fake news, … published what it tagged as an exclusive report of how N34 Billion Loans were recorded under Governor Lawal’s watch.
“The… report revealed clear gaps in understanding and showed its apparent failure to seek a professional review of the Zamfara State budget document.
“The reported borrowing amount of 34 billion naira…needs clarification to ensure the public accurately understands the situation.
“The 2023 Budget was prepared during Bello Matawalle’s previous administration, who is now the junior minister for defence. Of this budget, N53.2 billion was allocated for servicing loans borrowed by the state government.
“Although no borrowing was recorded for the above figure, the Zamfara State Government spent N34 billion on interest payments for various loans taken by previous administrations. This demonstrates Dauda Lawal’s commitment to reducing Zamfara’s debt burden and preventing the taking of additional loans.
“A platform committed to genuine journalism would conduct a thorough investigation to verify its hypothesis and establish its credibility. The statement expressed disappointment that the said online platform opted for a different approach, “staying true to its signature Gonzo Journalism Style.”
Mr Idris advised the newspaper to “question the former governor, Bello Matawalle, about how he used the loans received during his tenure, which did not lead to any development. That is the loan we are currently servicing.
“Governor Dauda Lawal did not take any loans during his two years as the Zamfara State Governor.”
The statement challenged the news “to provide any supporting documents that show the current Zamfara administration seeking loan facilities, whether locally or internationally.”
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