POLITICS
State of Emergency: APC, PDP Trade Blame in Zamfara
The Zamfara chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the call for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Sunday by the State PDP Publicity Secretary, Haliru Andi.
Andi said that the call for a state of emergency in the state was ‘deeply disrespectful to the entire people of Zamfara.
’He said that the call for a state of emergency was unfounded and deeply disrespectful to the resilient people of Zamfara.
He further said that the successes of Lawal’s administration against banditry have been seen clearly resulting in a direct impact.
“Therefore, Gov. Lawal’s steadfast approaches, refusing to engage in reconciliation with criminals have yielded positive impacts.
“The PDP administration in the state led by Lawal has taken significant steps.
”They included the establishment of Community Protection Guards (CPG) and the creation of a Security Trust Fund to support conventional security forces.
“Gov. Lawal recently distributed vehicles to enhance the operational capabilities of our security agencies, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to this critical issue,” he said.
Andi further said that the APC’s allegations were nothing more than desperate propaganda.
”At no point did former Gov Matawalle express a willingness to collaborate with Governor Lawal in addressing insecurity.
“We urge the APC to focus on genuine issues affecting Zamfara rather than resorting to baseless accusations and distractions,” he added.
“Gov Dauda Lawal remains resolute in his commitment to transforming the state and will not be deterred by the opposition’s unfounded claims.
“The people of Zamfara deserve better, and this administration is dedicated to delivering on that promise,” Andi added.
Recall that the state chapter of APC had on Saturday called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the state considering the lingering security challenges facing it.
The call was contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris.
Idris said: “We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to enforce a state of emergency in the state over insecurity.
“People of Zamfara have lost confidence in the ability of the administration of Gov. Dauda Lawal to deal with the security situation in the state.
“The Zamfara APC chapter commended the ongoing onslaught on bandits and terrorists in the state by the military in the North-Western states under the coordination and supervision of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.”
According to Idris, the ongoing military operations in the North-West as directed by Tinubu are certainly yielding unpredictable unprecedented results.
He added, “Bandits’ leaders and their gangs have been subdued by the current development of the Federal Government’s fight against banditry.
“This is very impressive and needs to be sustained at all costs so that the region will be free from all forms of criminality.
“As a party, we observe with dismay how the Zamfara Government is trying to sabotage the ongoing onslaught through his media campaigns.
”This is to distract the effort of the federal government under the coordination of the Minister of State for Defence.
“We have observed that Lawal as the Governor of the state has never in any way supported the military operations in the state in terms of logistics.”
Idris recalled that the military had recently warned him to steer clear from their activities and efforts.
The publicity scribe said that calling on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on Zamfara was necessary so as to spoil the ‘mischievous plan’.
Idris said, “This need is highly desirable so that the operation can go unhindered and the security operatives can go into the state without the governor and government of Zamfara politicizing the manhunt.
According to him, he did so even before the situation escalated to when the acts of banditry, kidnappings for ransom and other heinous crimes became a daily affair, decrying, ” but the governor failed to comply.
”The president, concerned by the general outcry, directed Matawalle to lead the Defence Headquarters with the CDS to embark on full operation in fight against insecurity in the North-West.
“The Minister and his fighters had effectively carried out the onerous task, decimating the criminals, their leaders and camps.
”They have been receiving accolades from all over the world except from Gov. Dauda Lawal and his team who are not happy with the onslaught being handled by Matawalle.
“The governor is now, as usual, turned to politicising and indirectly fighting Matawalle.”
This, Idris claimed, was by revisiting his earlier accusations that Matawalle had embezzled Zamfara’s money.
According to him, Lawal has been claiming that Matawalle left nothing for his administration.
Idris added, ”As well as buying airtime at some media outlets to claim being the one coordinating the fight alongside the military without any recognition of the minister.
“In his TV interviews, Gov. Lawal sarcastically asked, “who’s Matawalle, i am dealing with the Minister of Defence, Badaru, National Security Adviser and the President and I don’t need Matawalle.
“When in reality, it’s Matawalle who was charged with the responsibility which saw the elimination of the most dangerous bandit, Haliru Sububu giving confidence to Nigerians that the others too will soon follow by meeting their Waterloo.
“We are not surprised because a governor who can grant approval of over N1.3 billion as alleged, to sponsor terrorism, denied the act.
”But he immediately redeployed all the Directors of the state Ministry of Finance, whom he believed were the ones who leaked the memo and still denied despite the redeployment letter in circulation, cannot be given public trust.”
Idris alleged that it was the same Lawal who budgeted over N19 billion for his wife’s kitchen, but kept recalling allegations against his predecessor, Matawalle.
He added, ”When he cannot give account of the billions released to the state by the Federal Government in cash and grains as palliatives.
”These were distributed by the Governors of other states to their citizens but have remained a mirage in Zamfara..
Idris added that the efforts of Matawalle in the fight against banditry when he was Governor in Zamfara were far ahead those of Lawal.
According to Idris, all the Emirs, Islamic scholars and all major critical stakeholders in the state contributed immensely in all the meetings and strategies on how to end banditry.
Also, they were highly accommodated for better results that were achieved at the end.
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been instiating crisis in major opposition political parties as a strategy to weaken them ahead of 2027 general election.
Speaking during the flag-off of the party’s campaign in Akure, Ondo State capital, ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in the state, the ANPP Chairman declared that the party will support opposition parties going into alliance to upstate the ruling party and sack President Ahmed Tinubu.
While emphasising that there will be no room to manipulate the result of the poll, Ahmed said, “The fear that APC might want to manipulate the election is being expressed everywhere, no doubt in Ondo State.
Wherever you have a ruling party, the ruling party might not want to have a good opposition around it.“But at the end of the day, it is left to us to guard our votes on the voting day by having a credible agent who will protect the votes and who will also be in charge of supervising the counting. Once we have that, we believe that there is nothing the APC can do as such.
“I do not believe that the APC is trying to create crises in opposition parties; I believe that the APC is doing whatever it can to ensure it wins the 2027 general elections.
“Certainly, there is evidence everywhere that they are interfering in other parties, but it is left for the other parties to maintain their integrity and ensure that they remain one and a viable opposition to the APC before and after the 2027 general elections.
“I believe there should be a plan by the opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 election. The NNPP will also be part of it if at all it materialises. We have our doors open in such a way that if there is going to be a coalition of all the political parties to go into the election, we are ready for that. But if every individual party wants to go on its own, the NNPP is also preparing for that eventuality.”
On his part, Edema, who urged the electorate not to be intimidated by the power of incumbency, appealed to them to resist any form of vote-trading capable of prolonging the current hardship in the land.
While maintaining that the antics deployed by the ruling party in Edo State will be resisted by the people of Ondo State, the NNPP standard-bearer said, “We are saying Ondo State is not Edo State. Ondo is not Lagos State. The people of Ondo are one of the most enlightened in the whole country and we are capable of protecting our votes and we will protect it.
“We do not fear them. We will dare them.
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has annulled the purported suspension of the Minister of State (Petroleum) Heineken Lokpobiri by the party’s executive in his local government in Bayelsa State.
In a statement by the Zonal Legal Adviser of the, Chukwuemeke Ogbuobodo, the party said the APC executive in Lokpobiri’s Ward lacks the power to suspend him as the action runs afoul of provisions of the APC constitution.
The APC South-South Zonal officers described the action as “illegal, null and void,” contending that the local government area executive cannot be a judge in its matter.
Ogbuobodo referred the local government council party executive and “whoever that is sponsoring it, to see article 21.
3 (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) of the party’s Constitution and see the procedure for hearing and determination of complaints or allegations.”He also warned the local council executive that they are not above the law and not to see any other person as beneath it; “APC is not a party for supermen but a party guided by rules of law.
Recall that the APC in Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor local government areas in separate press briefings had last week purportedly suspended Lokpobiri and the 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the party in Bayelsa State, David Lyon.
But Ogbuobodo warned the persons behind the purported suspensions to be mindful that the entire executives in the state were invalidated by the decision of the Bayelsa State High Court in Suit No YHC/16/2022.
“As a consequence, the decision by the so-called LG Executive of APC is unknown to both the party’s Constitution and the laws of the land.”
He stated that to avoid this kind of unwholesome intervention by imposters in the affairs of the party in Bayelsa State given the current vacuum created by the judgment of the High Court of Bayelsa State in suit no. YHC/16/2022 and as a law-abiding entity, party chieftains in the South-South zone would now move swiftly to get the APC National Working Committee, NWC to appoint a caretaker committee to help oversee the party’s activities in the state in the interim pending the election of a substantive state executive.
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep sorrows over the tragic petrol tanker explosion which resulted in the death of over 150 people with many others injured in Majiya Town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The party in a statement by its Spokesman, Hon.
Debo Ologunagba, on Thursday called on the Federal Government to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the explosion in order to take measures to ensure safer transportation and prevent recurrence of such sad incidents.“This is another sad commentary on the wave of calamitous events that have befallen our nation as a result of worsening infrastructure, economic hardship and social disorientation in the last nine years.
“Our party is saddened that innocent and heavily deprived Nigerians especially our youths and bread winners of families continue to bear the ugly brunt of misgovernance in our country,” the statement said, and lauded the efforts and courage of the police, firefighters and other Nigerians who helped to put off the fire and rescued some of the victims.
The PDP commiserated with the Government and people of Jigawa State and prays to God to grant speedy recovery to the injured and fortitude to the families of the deceased.
NYSC Members Lack Nothing in Daura – Emir
Share The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar- Faruk, says National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members do not suffer anything...
Host Communities, Litigations Delay Trust Fund Implementation – HOSTCOM
Share The Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) says some delays in Host Community Development Trust (HCDT)...
Nigerian Army Emphasises Responsible Social Media use for National Security
Share The Nigerian Army has stressed the importance of responsible social media usage in contributing to national security and development....
Defence Minister Lauds Troops in Kaduna
Share The Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru, said he will be visiting military formations in Kaduna State, including Birnin Gwari and...
CIBN, Sanwo-Olu, others Encourage Youth to Embrace Technology for Self-Development
ShareGov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has advised the youth in the state to actively embrace social media and technology...
Centre Destroys 2,400 Illicit Weapons in Abuja
Share The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Office of the National Security Adviser,...
FCTA Seeks End to Accidents Involving Dispatch Riders on Abuja Roads
ShareThe Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has trained dispatch riders on safety measures to curb avoidable accidents involving motorcycles on...
Jigawa Explosion: FG Promises to Assist Majia Town
Share The Federal Government says it will assist Jigawa in rebuilding Majia town where a recent fuel tanker explosion killed...
APC Instigating Crises in Opposition Parties – NNPP Alleges
ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, has alleged that the...
S/South APC Annul Suspension of Lokpobiri
ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja South-South zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has annulled the purported suspension of the Minister...