From Maiharaji Altine
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Governor Dauda Lawal to stop blaming former Governor Bello Mattawalle and APC for his inability to address the issue of banditry in the state.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Idris said, Governor Lawal has yet to address security challenges affecting all parts of the state as he promised when he took over and was accusing the former Governor Bello Mattawalle and the state APC for his failure.
Idris said the PDP-led government, under Governor Lawal has continued to accuse the immediate past APC government in the state over its (Dauda’s government) inability to meet its campaign promises to the people, over one year into the administration.
He said, “The Dauda campaign train had used insecurity against Matawalle’s leadership promising to eliminate banditry and other security challenges facing the state within its first months in office”
“However, having failed to address the security challenges, the PDP-led administration of Governor Lawal again returned against the APC saying it is the reason why the PDP cannot defeat the bandits”.
Idris expressed disgust over the recent withdrawal of N1.3 billion by the state government and alleged dashed out to bandits and other media practitioners in the name of reconciliation but later accused the APC of masterminding the whole process.
Idris said, “A memo that allegedly emanated from the state government and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada requesting Governor Lawal’s approval to settle some identified bandits and journalists costing over N1 billion which went viral recently was pitched against the APC”.
“Even if such document came from outside the government, the blame to any sensibility shouldn’t hang on one party alone since there are other opposition parties”.
“Moreso, one cannot be sure that it ( the memo) did not come from within the government as a means of saving its face and diverting the attention of Zamfara people who are now wiser on such political gimmick”.
He maintained that, while Matawalle’s government opted for reconciliation which decimated bandits activities during his time, Governor Lawal rejected it”
“Yet Governor Lawal has run out of ideas and ended up sabotaging all Federal government’s attempts to fight the criminals in the state”.
Idris stressed that, since Governor Lawal decided against reconciliation with the bandits as his own style, he should tell the people how far he has gone in the fight against banditry.
“What we are seeing on a daily basis are, killings, kidnappings and threats of possible attack if communities fail to contribute millions of naira for the bandits who tax the communities as levies and to be paid within a short time limit”.
“The latest of which is the case of Moriki community with the Governor not even paying sympathy visit to victims but is busy on joy travels”.
On the recent resignation of the state chairman, Security Trust Fund, Idris said, the state government should come out and explain why he has resigned.
He said, “The government owes us as people of the state how and why the former chairman of the state Security Trust Fund, M D Abubakar resigned his appointment”.
“The government should also make public, the contents of the resignation letter so that we can analyze it within the context of the fund and security issues of the state”.
Idris also charged the state government to bring succour and sanity over the increasing number of IDPs who have turned to beggars for lack of state government’s help.
This according to him has led to the state government’s failure to adequately tackle insecurity as promised.
He maintained that, “The way and manner the PDP-led government in the state is handling the security of lives and properties with kids’ gloves is pathetic, as the Governor has concentrated on himself and abandoning his primary responsibilities”.
He advised the Governor to desist from politicizing the security issue as he did during the campaign period”.
“Now is time for action, not parapaganda or apportioning blames just to cover his failure when the innocent electorates remain helpless”.
