POLITICS
Zamfara PDP: Using Insecurity as Endgame
By Aliyu Kangiwa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State seems to have discovered another pastime-incitement. Within the last few weeks, it has been deploying all the arsenals in its new found vocation of whipping up sentiments, pitching the people against the state government, and the masses against themselves.
In doing so, it is gradually heating up an already volatile polity exacerbated by bandits’ activities in the state.In the last two weeks, the party and its leaders have organized press conferences in a bid to orchestrate this new found tactics.
The first press conference was anchored by Professor Kabiru Jabaka, who was sacked by the Bello Mohammed Matawalle’s administration over allegations of corruption while he was Chairman of the state’s Zakkat and Endowment Board.
Professor Jabaka is now doing the PDP’s dirty job as its deputy chairman and he is unfortunately using his position to get at Matawalle and the poor masses who rose against him for his role while heading the Zakkat and Endowment Board.After Jabaka’s ill-conceived and highly misinformed press conference failed to achieve their intended target, the party staged another one few days later through its state chairman, Col Bala Mande (retd). Like Professor Jabaka, Mande, a former military administration of Nasarawa State, also benefited from the magnanimity of Governor Matawalle, who appointed him as his Chief of Staff in June, 2019.
However, Mande refused to follow Matawalle to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the governor’s decision to defect to the ruling party and opted to remain in the PDP even though the main motivation behind the governor’s move was to attract federal presence to the state through infrastructural development and other privileges aligning with the government at the center will bring.
Today, Mande and Jabaka are the arrow heads and pawns in an orchestrated campaign to undermine Matawalle’s administration at “all cost” in the state.
In the press conference organized by Mande, he accused the state government of planning to go after the party’s principal officers in a bid to “silence the opposition” in the state. He said the state government had secured a warrant of arrest for its Deputy Chairman, Kabiru Jabaka, for accusing Governor Bello Matawalle of travelling to Niger Republic to watch local wrestling (kokowa) while bandits were on rampage in Zamfara.
It is unfortunate that Mande and his party are finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that PDP died with the defection of Matawalle from its fold. Both Mande and Jabaka are politicians who can hardly influence things even within their own constituencies and so are their pay masters.
Matawalle gave PDP life in the state and its fortunes fizzled with his exit. So which opposition is there to silence in the first place?
Mande’s allegations that the state government has secured a warrant to arrest Jabaka amounted to attempts to give relevance to his deputy and by extension, his party, as being worthy of attention. But what threat will Jakaba pose to APC and the personality of Matawalle that will warrant such attention?
However, what can be deduced from Mande’s position is that the PDP and its supposed point men are merely afraid of their shadows. Why are they afraid of arrest if they did nothing wrong? PDP and its foot soldiers are afraid because they know that their past will continue to hunt them and that the day of reckoning is near.
But it is not in Matawalle’s place to bring them to justice for every pain they inflicted on the people of the state.
Matawalle has much on his hands to bother about such matters. There are law enforcers who are constitutionally mandated to deal with any breach of the peace in the state.
So Matawalle doesn’t have to go in search of warrant from those who are supposed to enforce compliance to law and order and Mande who is a retired security operative should be in better position to educate the people about this but the Ex-MILAD seems to have given up on his training for the allure of politics. So he never views every issue, including security matters from the prisms of politics. So they can toy with people’s lives with ease for political gains.
To them it’s a game just like the chess. This is obvious from their twist of the casualty figures from the recent bandit attacks in Bukkuyum and Anka local government areas of the state where scores of people were killed.
Mande claimed the figure of 58 deaths as confirmed by the state government was wrong and that the PDP’s statistics which put the death toll at over 200 was the correct one.
“They are not 58, they are more than 200 from the report we, opposition, are getting. In Bukkuyum alone, they discovered over 150 corpses,” Mande claimed during his press conference.
This is even when he is aware that the casualties figure which the governor made public were those confirmed by the Emirs of Anka and Bukkuyum, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmed and Alhaji Muhammad Usman respectively. The two Emirs made the confirmation in their separate speeches when the governor paid them condolence visits to sympathize with the communities at their respective palaces.
Giving the breakdown of the figure from his area, the Emir of Anka said 22 persons were confirmed dead within Waramu district. He revealed that the 21 persons earlier reported to have died, were later discovered to be taking refuge with relations in neighbours communities.
The Emir of Bukkuyum on the other hand, disclosed that 36 persons were killed in the attack on Kurfa Dunya.
The affected communities are the two emirs’ domains and Mande put the integrity and sincerity of the traditional rulers to question by querying the number of their subjects killed during the attacks.
Traditional rulers are the custodians of the people, their culture and traditions. They are the most revered and respected in every society but Mande and his party in their desperation to score cheap political point, now branded them as liars.
Mande said over 200 people were killed during the attacks, adding that “in Bukkuyum alone, they discovered over 150 corpses.” Pray how did Mande come up with his statistics? Was the PDP chairman present when the attacks took place and counted the bodies? There were no media reports suggesting that PDP and Mande ever visited the scenes of the attacks to commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives in the carnage.
So how come he is insisting that he is correct and the emirs as well as the governor who is the chief security officer of the state were wrong?
What more, instead of emphatising and commiserating with the state government over the development, Mande and the PDP have to organise a press conference in order to contest the casualty figure and call Matawalle out.
Come to think of it, as a trained former security officer and someone who had the privilege of superintending over a state as an administrator, is Mande not aware of implications of exaggerating death tolls in a conflict situation? Is he unaware that his action is capable of causing civil unrest and strife of a magnitude unimaginable?
Of course the MILAD knows but chose to play politics with the situation.
It is PDP’s stock in trade to politicise everything under the sun. It’s their endgame. And the trend has been on for a very long time. It was one of the key reasons why Matawalle had to exit the party in the first place.
In all the bloodbaths that happened in Zamfara State, PDP at the national level and its governors hardly pay sympathy visits to identify with the government and people of the state to commiserate with them. However, the APC and governors elected on its platform are always handy, while President Muhammadu Buhari always makes sure that the federal government moved in to assist in handling the consequent humanitarian crisis thrown up, while also ensuring serious security deployment.
As it stands currently, even going by the exaggerated PDP figures, none of them, either officially as a party or as individuals went to condole the affected communities, the emirate nor the state government even by writing. This is even as people, groups and governments including the Federal Government the Jama’atu Izalatu Bid’a Wa Ikamatus Sunna, Jamiyatul Ansarudinee Attijaniyya led by its World Secretary General, Sheik Muhammadu Lamin Sheik Ibrahim Nyass, APC National Leader, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu trooped and have continued to troop into the state on sympathy visits.
How unfortunate is this strange, wicked behaviour of the PDP on communities they hope to come and seek their votes at election time.
The PDP can continue with their new tactics but the people of the state are already aware of the situation on ground. The people know who their real enemies are and at the right time, they will revolt.
Aliyu Kangiwa, Samaru Quarters, Gusau, Zamfara State.
From Abel Zwanke, Lafia
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Nasarawa North Senatorial bye-election, David Emmanuel Ombugadu on Wednesday intensified his grassroots engagements across Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, receiving widespread support from residents, traditional leaders, women, youths, elders, and religious leaders ahead of the poll.
Earlier in his consultations across the constituency, Ombugadu visited Igga-BrumBrum, Ikka-Wangibi, Mada Station, Lambaga/Arikpa, and Kagbu wards, where he was warmly received by enthusiastic supporters.
The visits formed part of his ongoing efforts to mobilise support and engage directly with the electorate ahead of the forthcoming election.The PDP candidate also paid a visit to the hometown of the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki, where he met with members of the family. During the visit, the father of the late senator described Ombugadu as his son and symbolically adopted him as “Ombugadu Akwashiki.” He prayed for the success of the PDP candidate and urged him to remain committed to the ideals of service, unity, and development championed by the late senator.
In his latest round of engagements, Ombugadu visited Ezen/Lizzi, Agunji/Ogbagi, and Alogani/Gale communities, where large crowds turned out to welcome him. Women groups, youths, elders, and pastors offered prayers for the PDP candidate and publicly endorsed his senatorial ambition, expressing confidence in his ability to provide quality representation at the National Assembly.
Speaking during the meetings, several community leaders recalled projects executed by Ombugadu during his tenure in the House of Representatives, noting that the impact of those interventions remains visible years after he left office.
According to them, many communities continue to benefit from the developmental projects he attracted, a record they said has strengthened public confidence in his leadership.
“The projects Ombugadu brought to our communities are still fresh in our minds. We have not forgotten what he did for our people, and that is why we are supporting him for the Senate,” a community representative said during one of the engagements.
Addressing supporters, Ombugadu expressed gratitude for the overwhelming reception and assurances of support from the various communities. He pledged to provide effective representation and attract more development projects to Nasarawa North if elected.
“I am humbled by the love, prayers, and confidence the people continue to show me. This support is a call to greater service, and I assure our people that I will continue to work for the progress and development of every community in Nasarawa North,” he said.
The former Lawmaker reiterated his commitment to promoting infrastructure development, education, youth empowerment, agriculture, and improved social services, stressing that his campaign remains focused on issues that directly affect the lives and wellbeing of the people.
Political observers say the growing turnout at Ombugadu’s campaign engagements across Nasarawa Eggon reflects increasing grassroots momentum as candidates intensify consultations and voter outreach ahead of the highly anticipated senatorial bye-election.
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives yesterday raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, warning that the nation’s service chiefs should consider honourably resigning if they fail to restore public confidence and reverse the tide of insecurity within a reasonable period.
The lawmakers also called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately deploy a comprehensive and aggressive security strategy aimed at dismantling bandit, terrorist and kidnapping networks operating across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep.
Ibe Osonwa during plenary. The motion highlighted the rising cases of banditry, mass abductions, attacks on schools and places of worship, and the growing sense of insecurity among Nigerians.Leading the debate, Osonwa lamented the continued targeting of vulnerable communities, educational institutions and worship centres by criminal groups, warning that the situation was disrupting education, deepening poverty and threatening constitutional rights.
The House reminded the Federal Government of its constitutional obligation to protect lives and property, stressing that the security and welfare of citizens remain the primary responsibility of government.
Lawmakers condemned the persistent wave of kidnappings and attacks across the country and resolved to formally appeal to President Tinubu, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, to intensify efforts to secure schools, communities and religious centres while ensuring the rescue of citizens held captive by criminal elements.
The House further directed its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, and the Army to strengthen oversight of security operations and report back within two weeks.
Meanwhile, prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has defended his visit to Ibadan, Oyo State, dismissing allegations that he was promoting the Islamisation of the South-West or advancing northern religious interests in the region.
Responding to criticisms in a social media post, Gumi said his attendance at an Islamic gathering in Ibadan was in his capacity as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama and not at the invitation of any South-West Muslim group.
The cleric maintained that no individual or organisation could prevent him from travelling to any part of Nigeria, insisting that his constitutional rights entitled him to move freely across the country.
Gumi also linked the controversy surrounding his visit to what he described as growing Islamophobia in parts of the South-West, arguing that his participation in the event had been unnecessarily politicised.
His comments came amid renewed public debate over security and religious issues following reports surrounding the abduction of residents in Oyo State, although one of the victims recently dismissed claims that the kidnappers demanded the introduction of Sharia law as a condition for their release.
The developments underscore growing national concerns over security, social cohesion and the need for stronger government action to address the challenges confronting the country.
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
As Nigeria moves closer to renewed constitutional conversations around the creation of state police, comments made about four years ago by former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, are drawing fresh relevance.
In an interview conducted during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, Adebayo strongly defended the creation of state and local government policing, arguing that Nigeria’s highly centralised security structure had become ineffective and disconnected from local realities.
According to him, any level of government empowered to make laws should also possess the authority to enforce them.
He argued that it was contradictory for states to legislate on issues including criminal offences, sanitation, public order and local administration while depending almost entirely on a centrally controlled police system headquartered in Abuja.
Adebayo maintained that most offences affecting everyday life — including murder, theft, arson and other serious crimes — are prosecuted under state laws, raising questions about why states have little operational control over policing.
Using Lagos as an example, he questioned situations where incidents occurring entirely within a state still require intervention and decisions from federal authorities.
He said such arrangements weaken accountability and delay justice.
The former presidential candidate also called for wider police reforms beyond decentralisation, arguing that policing in Nigeria should move away from what he described as a culture of force toward one rooted in public service and community trust.
According to him, police should belong to the people rather than function as an extension of government power.
He further proposed stronger institutional links between policing and the justice system, including reforms that would reinforce the role of legal institutions in ensuring accountability.
Beyond security, Adebayo linked Nigeria’s security challenges to broader failures in economic governance.
He rejected arguments that Nigeria’s fiscal problems stem primarily from insufficient taxation, insisting instead that the country loses substantial revenue through leakages, resource theft and weak administration.
He argued that government should prioritise recovering legally due revenues rather than imposing additional tax burdens on citizens and businesses.
Adebayo pointed to crude oil theft and illegal extraction of solid minerals as examples of areas where stronger governance could significantly improve national income.
He also criticised arbitrary tax practices, warning that unrealistic assessments discourage productivity and encourage corruption.
According to him, economic recovery requires efficient revenue collection, transparent administration and stronger protection of public resources.
While the interview was held years ago, many of the issues raised — particularly around decentralised policing, insecurity and economic management — remain central to Nigeria’s ongoing governance debate.
With discussions on state police once again gaining policy attention, Adebayo’s earlier arguments are returning to public conversation as part of wider calls for security and structural reforms.
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