PDP Accuses Masari of Lacking Political Will to End Bandtry in Katsina

PDP Accuses Masari of Lacking Political Will to End Bandtry in Katsina

By Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday accused the state Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, of lacking security plans and political will to tackle the pervading security challenges bedevilling some parts of the state.

The party added that the Masari-led government does not have the security knowledge to end what it termed the daily killing, kidnapping and raping of farmers andinnocent women and girls by bandits.

The state chairman of the party, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Magijiri, disclosed this while receiving 500 defectors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state to the PDP.

He said: “The APC government under the leadership of Governor Aminu Masari does not have the political will or security plans to drive the security challenges in Katsina to an end, because there are so many policies and programmes of his government that does not tally with the way and manner that can end banditry in Katsina.

“What the government is doing is misplacement of priority. There was a time the governor came out to sa he cannot even guarantee his safety, that is very discouraging and that will not help the situation in Katsina State.

“The same governor came out to say he had negotiated with the bandits and people should go and sleep. After sometime, the governor said he will never negotiate with
the bandits again. Again, the secretary to the state government came out and said they are going to provide shelter and farmlands for repentant bandits.

“So, if you merge all these things together you will come to the conclusion that the government doesn’t have focus on the fight against insecurity in the state. There is
no coordination within the government cycle and theyare not ready to solve this problem of insecurity.”

Magijiri explained that lack of local government systemand “misappropriation” of funds meant to cater for the welfare of rural dwellers in the state, had also contributed significantly to the spate of banditry and other nefarious activities afflicting the state, saying local government system is dead.

The PDP chairman, who accused the governor of ruling a closed-door government, called for the involvement of traditional and religious leaders in the ongoing war against banditry for the sustainability of peace and development in the state.

He said: “Since the inception of democracy in 1999 to date, we have never had a governor that doesn’t have local government councils at heart like Governor Aminu
Bello Masari. This is someone who met elected local governments officials in the state and dissolved them without following due processes.

“We want to ensure that democracy is in place and rule of law is followed. That is why we are in court challenging his decision. If today, he makes a pronouncement that all the dissolved local governments officials are reinstatedto finish their 15 months tenure, we will withdraw the case before the court.”

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