The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the state, considering the lingering security challenges facing it.

“We are appealing to President Bola Tinubu to enforce a state of emergency in the state over insecurity,” the party said in a statement on Saturday by the state spokesperson, Yusuf Idris.

It lauded the military’s onslaught against bandits in North-West under Defence Minister Bello Matawalle’s supervision but said Zamfara residents had lost confidence in Governor Dauda Lawal’s ability to curb insecurity.

“As a party, we observe with dismay how the Zamfara government is trying to sabotage the ongoing onslaught through its media campaigns,” said APC, which alleged this was to distract the federal government’s efforts.

“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,” the party added.

It recalled that the military had recently warned him to steer clear from their activities and efforts, saying, “Governor Dauda is now bent on distracting the operation through media campaigns and propaganda” and was toying with citizens’ lives.

APC said that calling on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on Zamfara was necessary so as to spoil the “mischievous plan.”

”This is as the state governor, Dauda Lawal, has already begun by portraying himself as if he’s the sole sponsor of the operation, for which he has no hand,” APC said.

The party alleged that Mr Lawal had “vehemently nurtured attacks” on Mr  Matawalle, who had partnered with him in fighting bandits.

“The governor is now, as usual, turned to politicising and indirectly fighting Matawalle” by revisiting his earlier accusations on media outlets that the minister had embezzled Zamfara’s money.

“In his TV interviews, Governor 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.’

“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,” APC stated.

The party alleged that it was the same Mr Lawal, who budgeted over N19 billion for his wife’s kitchen but kept recalling allegations against his predecessor.

When contacted, the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Haliru Andi, said the party’s state leadership was aware of the APC’s allegations.

“We have seen the press release, and we are making arrangements to react to the empty allegations against the PDP-led government in the state by the APC,” Mr Andi explained.

(NAN)