• Govs not in charge of security in name, says Masari’s aide
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Katsina State, yesterday asked the state governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari to resign with immediate for encouraging residents to acquire arms and defend themselves against bandits.
Similarly, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) reprimanded Masari for failing to protect lives and property, an obligation he swore into oath of allegiance to dutifully discharge.
While the Chairman of Katsina PDP, Alhaji Salisu Majigiri called for Masari’s resignation at a session with journalists, CNG asked the governor to quit in a statement signed by its Northwest Co-ordinator, Alhaji Aliyu Charanchi.
At the session with journalists, Majigiri described Masari’s statement as vindication of failure, said his administration has failed to protect the lives and property of the citizenry as enshrined in chapter two of the 1999 Constitution.
After the North-west youths sensitisation on e-registration at the party’s secretariat in Katsina, the chairman of the chapter said security and welfare of citizens is the primary responsibility of government.
He said: “If the governor as the chief security officer of the state can not provide security for the people of his state the easiest thing to do is to resign from the office.
“Masari swore to protect and defend the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria, but failed to provide welfare and security to the people. He has nothing to do rather than resign and give way for people who can provide welfare and security for the people.”
In its statement yesterday, the coalition admonished Masari to resign for failing to protect lives, an obligation h swore to discharge under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria.
The statement said Masari’s call “has exposed his weakness and inability to protect lives and property of the citizenry and combat the bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers
It said the state government “has exhausted all options by admitting to the loss of the necessary courage and political will for dealing with the security challenges in the state and further dampening public confidence.
“Residents of the state are left at the mercy of a rampaging insurgency, regular bandits’ attacks on communities and daily kidnappings for ransom. There is no hope for a better tomorrow,” the coalition lamented in its statement.
It, therefore, lamented that the CNG had taken particular note of the apparent frustrated directive the governor issued in in Jibia, asking the residents of the state “to arm themselves for self protection against threats.
“The governor’s statement also raises the fundamental concern that the state government is actually not in control and incapable of protecting lives of innocent citizens.
“The audacity with which bands of armed criminals ride freely to terrorize, massacre, loot and displace Katsina communities without any counter response from government troops, call to question the willingness, readiness, sincerity and capacity to curb the drift towards anarchy in these affected parts”.
“Any administration that failed in discharging its primary responsibility what is best for the head of the administration is to resign honourably. We consider this single act by the governor as a sign that proves beyond any iota of doubt that the people of the state have been abandoned.
“Masari’s administration represents a citadel of poor governance, indifference, and insensitivity, at the mercy of a rampaging insurgency, regular bandit attacks on communities, and daily kidnappings for ransom and there is no hope for a better tomorrow,” the statement said.
The statement, however, challenged the state government and critical stakeholders “to strengthen the activities of vigilantes in the state and mobilise resources for running their activities and purchase of equipment.”
In a statement yesterday, however, Masari’s Director-General on Media, Labaran Malumfashi described those calling for his principal’s resignation as disgruntled elements masquerading as human rights campaigners.
Malumfashi explained that security “is on the exclusive legislative list of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he said, was the exclusive mandate of the federal government.
He said: “As constitutionally elected office holders, governors do not succumb to the intimidation of some self-serving disgruntled elements, masquerading as human rights campaigners by resigning.
“In matters of security, a governor is the Chief Security Officer of his state only in name, because the various security chiefs working in the state take orders not from him, but from their superiors in Abuja,” the statement said.
