From Abdullahi Adamu Gusau
Zamfara state headquarters of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has accused immediate former state governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle of using his position of junior defense minister to coerce Zamfara state government to dialogue with armed bandits in the state.
A press release issued by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Halliru Andi described the former governor’s effort as misguided and disingenuous “as it contradicts the PDP-led government’s commitment to a firm and non-negotiable stance against terrorism.”.
The PDP secretariat issued the statement to debunk a viral memo alleging that Governor Dauda Lawal approved the sum of over N1.3billion to finance reconciliation efforts with banditry leaders in the state. It said the memo is entirely false orchestrated by the opposition APC, and is a blatant attempt to discredit Governor Lawal’s genuine efforts to combat insecurity in the state. This misinformation is a desperate attempt to undermine Governor Lawal’s firm stance against negotiating with terrorists.
The statement further stressed that Governor Lawal had consistently opposed reconciliation with bandits, deeming it a superficial solution that fails to address the root of the problem. Instead, he has called on the APC-led administration to use its control over the military and police forces to confront bandits with decisive action.
APC’s and by extension, the federally Government’s reluctance to take forceful measures, coupled with their preference for negotiations, highlights their lack of political will and ineffective approach, the statement observed.
It also asserted that former Governor Matawalle, who previously entertained and made inducements to bandit leaders during his tenure, now seeks to use his position as Minister of Defense to coerce the state government into negotiations. This effort is not only misguided but also disingenuous, as it contradicts the PDP-led government’s commitment to a firm and non-negotiable stance against terrorism.The statement accused opposition APC, as behind the deceptive claim. It is regrettable the opposition would resort to such tactics, demonstrating a profound lack of integrity. Their tenure was marked by failure to effectively address banditry, and their current actions only further demonstrate their ineptitude. It is time for APC in Zamfara to focus on constructive solutions rather than peddling falsehoods. The people of the state deserve better leadership and a concerted effort to address the security challenges we face.
“Governor Lawal and the PDP government are dedicated to pursuing effective strategies to end banditry and ensure the safety of our state. We urge the public to disregard these baseless claims and urge all stakeholders to support genuine and transparent efforts to combat banditry, rather than engaging in baseless in and harmful accusations,” the statement concluded.
