A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Dingyadi, has urged Nigerians not to solely blame President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the escalating insecurity in the North-west region.
Instead, Dingyadi believes the blame should first go to the governors for the unfortunate development in the region.
He called on the President to hold governors, especially those in the North-west, accountable for their perceived failure to show full commitment in helping the federal government and security agencies end the prolonged issue of insecurity.
Dingyadi made these statements while presenting a paper titled “Insecurity, Politics, and Democracy in Nigeria: A Reflection of Yesterday and Our Challenge Today” at a function organized by the Northern Coalition Group for Transparency and Justice in Kaduna.
He alleged that the body language and constant bandit attacks in some areas were a clear testament to political coloration by concerned leaders at the detriment of lives and properties of the people they have sworn to protect.
According to Dingyadi, some governors have turned into “travel agents,” abandoning their states and depending on Zoom meetings and conferences while their people are subjected to incessant attacks and kidnapping by enemies within.
He criticized governors for not utilizing security votes effectively and failing to replicate solutions learned from their travels to developed countries.
Dingyadi questioned the absence of Governors from regional northern governors’ forum meetings and their reluctance to put politics aside to collectively find a lasting solution to insecurity.
He highlighted the efforts of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State, stating that bandits were previously unable to attack local government headquarters but have now become emboldened.
Dingyadi emphasised that there are currently around 20-30 bandit enclaves in Zamfara State.