The Zamfara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called on Governor Dauda Lawal to stop blaming his predecessor, Bello Mattawalle, and the APC for his inability to address the issue of banditry in the state.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Idris stated that Lawal has yet to address the security challenges affecting all parts of the state as he promised when he took over but rather has been accusing Bello Mattawalle and the APC for his failures.
Idris said the PDP-led government, under Lawal, has continued to accuse the state’s immediate past APC government over its (Dauda government’s) inability to meet its campaign promises to the people even after one year in office.
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 can not defeat the bandits.”
Idris expressed disgust over the alleged recent withdrawal of N1.3 billion by the state government, which he further alleged to have been dished out to bandits and other media practitioners in the name of reconciliation but still later accused the APC of masterminding the whole process.
The PDP spokesman stressed, “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 at a ridiculous amount offered over N1 billion which went viral recently was pitched against the APC.
“Even if such a 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 ran out of ideas and ended up sabotaging all federal government attempts to fight criminals in the state.”
Idris insisted that since 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 on communities that 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 his joy travels,” the APC statement stressed.
On the recent resignation of the state chairman of the Security Trust Fund, Idris said the state government should come out clean to explain why he 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 analyse it within the context of the fund and security issues of the state,” the APC spokesman slammed.
Idris further 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 abandoned his primary responsibilities.”
The party thus advised the Lawal to desist from politicising the security issue as he did during the campaign period.
“Now is time for action, not propaganda or apportioning blame just to cover his failure when the innocent electorates remain helpless,” the statement concluded.
While reacting,
The Zamfara State Government disagreed with the APC allegation, as it also disowned documents in circulation, suggesting that it had released huge funds to some bandits’ kingpins in exchange for dialogue in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Abubakar Nakwada, told Arewa PUNCH that the documents were not only fake but also mischievous, misleading, malicious, and false.
Nakwada said that the documents with his signature and those of some other top government officials were forged.
He disclosed that the security agencies had been properly briefed and they were already on the trails to track down the social media source.
Nakwada faulted the claims that money was paid to some media promoters under the guise of “reconciliation efforts” from the state Security Trust Fund.
“This is very crucial that we address this matter with transparency and urgency.
“Ordinarily, we should have ignored this, like we have ignored many other fabricated lies aimed at distracting the administration of Gov. Dauda Lawal from its commitment to rescuing and rebuilding the state.
“But due to the sensitive nature of security matters, which incidentally remains one of the priorities of this administration, we are compelled to make some clarifications,” the SSG said.
Nakwada stressed that in order to set the records straight, the purported memo allegedly said to have originated from his office to Gov. Dauda Lawal was entirely fake and mischievous.
“The state government has consistently announced its firm stance against negotiating with the bandits and terrorists.
“We still maintain the position that we will not negotiate with terrorists.
“Our administration has been unequivocal in its approach to addressing the security challenges facing our state.”
He pointed out that the state government had implemented strategic measures to combat the menace of banditry, adding that the efforts were always guided by integrity, accountability and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of people.
“The fabricated document and the baseless claims it contains are not only distracting but also an attempt to erode the trust and confidence that the people of Zamfara have in Gov Lawal’s administration to restore the peace and order,” concluded Nakwada.
Also debunking the APC claim that Governor Lawal has been helpless in the last year of his tenure to halt the banditry scourge ravaging Zamfara State contrary to his promise, the Special Assistant to Governor Lawal, Mustafa Jafaru Kaura said the APC members were only crying foul where there is none.
According to Kaura, “Governor Lawal has performed well in the fight against banditry in the state compared to the past administration of former Governor Bello Mattawalle.
Kaura stated that the APC was only exposing their failures towards addressing the security challenges affecting not only Zamfara State but the entire northern states.
He maintained that the state government under the leadership of Lawal has been making frantic efforts to fight banditry, adding that, “You cannot compare the efforts of Governor Dauda Lawal with that of his predecessor Bello Mattawalle.”
He also reminded the APC that one of their leaders, who was a former governor of the state and now the Defence Minister, Bello Mattawalle, was supposed to be challenged on why he has done nothing to put a total stop to insecurity in his home state of Zamfara.
Kaura argued, “You should blame your leader, Bello Mattawalle, who is now the Defence Minister, but we have yet to see any positive impacts as far as fighting insurgents is concerned.”
