By Amos Tauna, Kaduna
A civic group based in the North, the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Organisation, has accused the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, of neglecting the concerns of his constituents and focusing instead on personal attacks against his opponents.
Aminu Abbas Arabi, the Convener of the coalition, made this claim while addressing journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday. He stated that this is the reason for the Governor’s lack of success, unlike his counterparts in Katsina, Kaduna, and Kebbi, who, despite the prevailing insecurity in their states, continue to prioritise the welfare and well-being of their citizens. He asserted that the Governor’s failures are directly linked to the insecurity currently plaguing Zamfara, despite any claims to the contrary he might wish to make.
“We are no longer comfortable with his cowardly tactics and failures. It is time for him to act decisively or forfeit any hopes of reelection,” he declared.
As representatives of the coalition, he announced a seven-day ultimatum for the Governor to reconsider his actions and eliminate the distractions that have hindered progress. Failure to do so, he warned, would result in 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 stated that the Governor’s inefficiency has turned the military against the state, which has contributed to the lack of success in combating banditry, emphasising that the success of any conflict relies on the collaboration of the government, military, and the populace.
Arabi remarked that Governor Dauda Lawal has denied the people the opportunity to participate in the success of the state, suggesting he should take a lesson from the Governor of Sokoto State—who succeeded a PDP Governor and has refrained from criticising his predecessor despite ongoing security challenges.
He noted that since taking office, Governor Dauda Lawal, who entered the race with a clear manifesto, has instead become a mere noise-maker, fixated on the administration of his predecessor without delivering any tangible results for the substantial allocations received by the state. He added that, following the removal of fuel subsidies, state allocations have more than doubled, leaving no governor or state with an excuse for failing to provide democratic dividends to their citizens.
In Zamfara State, the convener observed that instead of promoting continuity and good governance, Governor Dauda Lawal has concentrated on undermining his predecessor, claiming he has become a clown, pursuing baseless investigations and filing numerous petitions against someone who has never been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
“Rather than demonstrating his achievements and justifying the billions of naira allocated to Zamfara State since he took office, he has chosen to pursue shadows and neglect the responsibilities he was elected to fulfil. This behaviour is a blatant distraction from his core mandate, and we find it not only distasteful but utterly unacceptable. It is, therefore, our firm stance that his conduct is unbecoming of a sitting Governor, and should he feel incapable of performing his duties, he ought to resign immediately,” he asserted.
Under his leadership, Arabi claimed that Zamfara has devolved into a veritable slaughterhouse, stressing that as the chief security officer of the state, Governor Dauda Lawal has failed to prevent ongoing killings, instead opting to blame others for his shortcomings.
He continued that communities are being displaced, and terrorists have established a presence in many areas, even going so far as to collect taxes and levies from vulnerable locals. He cited a recent incident in which an imam and his son were brutally murdered, stating that the Governor’s inaction 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 fulfil his duties as Governor,” he insisted.
He added, “It is also concerning that instead of focusing on enhancing Zamfara State’s internally generated revenue, the ineffective Dauda has prioritised attacking his predecessor over loans taken out for state development. If he believes that the funds available to Zamfara State are insufficient, he should work towards increasing the internally generated revenue and attracting investors. It is unfortunate to note that no investor has shown interest in Zamfara due to the pervasive insecurity and unfavourable governmental policies since Dauda Lawal assumed leadership.”
