The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State have exchanged accusations following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The APC in Zamfara has strongly condemned a Facebook post by PDP State Chairman, Jamilu Jibo Magayaki, accusing him of attempting to discredit the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle, by falsely linking him to the decision.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary in Zamfara State, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the APC dismissed Magayaki’s comments as baseless and uninformed, questioning his grasp of political affairs.
According to the statement, It is disgraceful that a party claiming to govern Zamfara allows individuals with little understanding of governance to speak on its behalf.
Magayaki’s remarks on President Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency on Rivers State reflect both ignorance and fear,” the statement read.
The APC clarified that the decision was made solely by the President, not the Minister of State for Defence, as insinuated by Magayaki.
The party further noted that the Ministry of Defence’s statement on the deployment of military personnel was not even signed by Matawalle.
Responding to Magayaki’s criticism of demolitions carried out during Matawalle’s tenure as governor, the APC defended the actions as necessary for development, arguing that similar measures are now being implemented by the PDP-led government.
The APC also accused PDP members of looting public properties—including Farida Hospital and Gusau Hotel—immediately after the 2023 governorship election results were announced in favor of the PDP.
Additionally, the APC criticized the PDP-controlled Zamfara State House of Assembly for allegedly undermining democratic principles by suspending ten elected members for over a year simply for raising security concerns in their constituencies.
The party further accused the PDP-led government of awarding multi-billion-naira contracts without an executive council in place. “Governor Dauda allocated these contracts without proper endorsement from the state House of Assembly, unlike Matawalle, who always followed due process,” the statement added.
The APC concluded by advising Magayaki to educate himself on governance before making public statements. “His Facebook post only exposed his lack of knowledge and fear of federal authority. Instead of engaging in baseless criticism, he should seek guidance from his predecessors on how to properly manage a political party,” the APC stated.
PDP’s Reaction on the matter
Zamfara State PDP Chairman Jamilu Jibo Magayaki, in his recent Facebook post, accused Matawalle of supporting the unconstitutional suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Magayaki described Matawalle’s stance as unsurprising, citing his alleged track record of undermining democratic principles and human rights during his tenure as governor.
“Matawalle’s accusations against Fubara regarding the demolition of public buildings and disregard for the rule of law are hypocritical at best,” Magayaki stated.
He further accused the former governor of sacking democratically elected local government chairmen, illegally removing his deputy, recklessly demolishing public properties—including Gusau Hotel and Farida Hospital—and running the state unilaterally without holding an executive council meeting throughout his term.
“Such actions highlight his disregard for the very principles he now claims to uphold. The removal of elected officials under the pretext of emergency rule is unconstitutional and unacceptable, and Matawalle, given his history of similar violations, should be the last person to pass judgment on others. He should be ashamed to make such accusations,” Magayaki added.
REL/AMINU DALHATU
