By Amos Tauna, Kaduna
A civic organisation from the North, the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Organisation, has claimed that the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has disregarded the concerns of his constituents and is instead fixated on attacking the characters of his political opponents.
Aminu Abbas Arabi, the Convener of the coalition, voiced these allegations while speaking to reporters in Kaduna on Tuesday. He asserted that this preoccupation is the reason behind his lack of success, contrasting him with his counterparts in Katsina, Kaduna, and Kebbi, who, despite facing insecurity, have managed to enhance the welfare and well-being of their citizens. He contended that the Governor’s failures are directly responsible for the insecurity being experienced in Zamfara, despite any attempts he may make to suggest otherwise.
“We are no longer comfortable with his cowardly tactics and failures. It is time for him to act decisively or abandon any hopes of reelection,” he stated.
Representing the coalition, he announced a seven-day ultimatum for the Governor to reconsider his actions and eliminate distractions that have impeded progress. Should he fail to comply, he warned, there would be a massive protest involving over 73 million registered members occupying the Government House, the State House of Assembly, the Judiciary Complex, and the State Secretariat.
He further pointed out that the Governor’s ineffectiveness has turned the military against the state, which has hindered the fight against banditry, underscoring that a successful conflict relies on the synergy between the government, military, and the populace.
According to Arabi, Governor Dauda Lawal has deprived the people of the chance to partake in the state’s success, suggesting he ought to take a page from the Governor of Sokoto State, who ascended from a PDP administration and has refrained from publicly criticising his predecessor despite ongoing security issues.
He noted that since taking office, Governor Dauda Lawal, who ran with a clear manifesto, has morphed into a mere symbol of noise, fixated on the actions of his predecessor without delivering any substantial benefits from the significant allocations received by the state. He added that following the removal of the fuel subsidy, state allocations have more than doubled, leaving no governor or state with a valid excuse for failing to deliver democratic benefits to the populace.
In Zamfara State, the convener observed that rather than promoting continuity and good governance, Governor Dauda Lawal has concentrated his efforts on denigrating his predecessor, alleging that he has turned himself into a figure of ridicule, pursuing imaginary investigations and filing countless petitions against a man who has never been guilty of any crime.
“Instead of presenting his achievements and justifying the billions of naira allocated to Zamfara State since his assumption of office, he has chosen to chase phantoms and neglect the responsibilities he was elected to discharge. This is a clear distraction from his core mandate, and we find it not only offensive but utterly unacceptable. It is our firm position that his conduct is unbecoming of a sitting Governor, and if he feels incapable of fulfilling his responsibilities, he should resign without delay,” he asserted.
Under his administration, Arabi claimed that Zamfara has become akin to an open abattoir, stressing that as the chief security officer of the state, Governor Dauda Lawal has failed to halt the killings, instead opting to blame others for his own failures.
He added that communities are being overrun, with terrorists establishing a presence in many areas, even imposing taxes and levies on vulnerable residents. He cited a recent incident in which an imam and his son were coldly murdered, asserting that the Governor’s failure to act should be a source of embarrassment for anyone who values good governance. “It is time to tell Dauda the truth—he must either resign or start acting like a proper Governor,” he insisted.
He concluded, “It is also disheartening that instead of focusing on improving Zamfara State’s internally generated revenue, the ineffective Dauda has chosen to attack his predecessor over loans taken for the state’s development. If he believes the funds available to Zamfara State are inadequate, he should strive to boost internally generated revenue and attract investors. It is unfortunate to note that no investor has come to Zamfara due to the rampant insecurity and unfavourable government policies since Dauda Lawal took over the leadership.”
