… Insecurity Worse in Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Yobe others.
Obinna Chukwu, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged of a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government to forcefully take over the governance of Zamfara state through an imposition of an orchestrated state of emergency in the state.
PDP also said it rejects an attempt by the APC administration to undermine and subvert the democratic order in Zamfara state by creating the impression that the state government, under Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle, is to blame for the failures of the APC-led federal government to contain insecurity in the state.
Addressing the press in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said the party has charged Nigerians to hold President Buhari and his administration directly responsible for any further assault or killing of innocent citizens in Zamfara state.
President Muhammadu on Tuesday declared Zamfara state a ‘no fly zone’, but PDP insists the Federal Government’s decision is another plot to take over Zamfara state at all cost.
Ologbondiyan said, “More so, there is escalated banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other forms of violent acts in APC controlled states of the North West, like Kaduna and Katsina; in the North East of Borno and Yobe as well as the North Central states of Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kogi, yet no attempt has been made by the Buhari Presidency to intimidate the governors of the various states, seek to impose a state of emergency or declare such states as “no fly zone”.
“It is even more worrisome that the Buhari Presidency will gloss over Kaduna, Niger and Mr. President’s home state of Katsina, where killings, kidnapping and abduction have become a daily routine, only to be contemplating an emergency situation in Zamfara.
“The PDP counsels that rather than this selective approach to fighting banditry, terrorism and kidnapping, the Buhari Presidency should go back to the drawing board and adopt a holistic approach to quell the prevailing insecurity in our nation.
“Our party will therefore not allow the Buhari Presidency to tag and intimidate Governor Matawalle for seeking to find solutions to a very depressing situation.
“Consequently, the PDP hereby directs Governor Matawalle to stop his intervention approach as our party charges Nigerians to hold President Buhari and his administration directly responsible for any further assault or killing of innocent citizens in Zamfara state.
“In doing this, the PDP charges President Buhari to be mindful of the type of advice he receives from his officials in the security circle on this Zamfara security concerns, especially as there are allegations of hidden interest among his officials.
“President Buhari may wish to recall the allegations in the public space of alleged complicity by his National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Monguno, in the unfortunate situation in Zamfara state, upon which our party had called for investigation.
“Already, Governor Matawalle had declared that Mr. President was misinformed on the decision of imposing a “no fly zone’ on Zamfara, as recommended to him by Gen. Monguno.
“The PDP therefore vehemently rejects any attempt to impose a state of emergency and derail democratic order in Zamfara state by the APC as a means to forcefully take over the state.
“It must be noted that such obnoxious move is capable of triggering a national crisis, worsening the already tensed situation, derailing our democracy and threaten our corporate existence as a nation.
“Our Party calls on Governor Matawalle to remain strong and focused at this critical time. The party also urges the people of Zamfara state to remain calm and continue to cooperate with our security forces, under the democratic order, as they intensify efforts to rid the state and our nation of these vicious outlaws”, he said.
