PDP denies funding terrorism in Zamfara, blames APC for insecurity

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State that Governor Dauda Lawal is sponsoring bandits.

In a statement by its publicity secretary, Haliru Andi, the PDP described the claims as baseless and accused the APC of being responsible for the state’s lingering insecurity.

“No political party in the history of Zamfara has done more damage than the APC. Its leaders openly dined and negotiated with bandits, granting them legitimacy while innocent residents buried their loved ones,” Andi said.

He noted that under former APC governor Bello Matawalle, villages were frequently attacked, security funds were looted, and government officials turned a blind eye while criminals terrorized citizens. He further alleged that APC leaders even attended meetings with bandit leaders instead of protecting the people.

According to him, Governor Lawal inherited “a monumental mess” from the APC but has since taken concrete steps to restore peace by strengthening security agencies, creating the Community Protection Guards (CPG), and cutting off political ties that enabled banditry.

Andi also defended Lawal’s recent remarks about knowing the locations of bandits, saying it was a show of proactive leadership and readiness to provide intelligence for military action, not an admission of complicity.

He urged Zamfara residents to disregard the APC’s “empty noise,” assuring that the governor remains committed to dismantling bandit networks and delivering peace, security, and development to the state.