The Zamfara All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth League has accused the Zamfara State Government of failing to develop the State, while abandoning the State to live in Abuja.

In a Press Statement distributed to members of the Press last week, the group, led by its Coordinator Ubaidullah Yahaya Kaura stated that since the commencement of the Dauda Lawal’s tenure, the “Zamfara has faced a troubling decline—sinking deeper into poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment.”

The group accused the Governor of spending time and resources of the State on television appearances, while making unfounded claims about developments in the State which were contrary to reality.

“The evidence is visible across the state. Health statistics reveal an alarming rise in mortality rates due to disease and poor maternal healthcare, with no substantial investment in education or infrastructure.

“There is growing unemployment at record levels. Our farms, which once used to thrive, are now lying abandoned, and the record harvests achieved in the last five years have become a thing of the past. Due to welfare concerns, staff in the healthcare sector in Zamfara State are threatening to go on strike.”

Mal. Ubaidullah Kaura further stated that Governor Dauda Laws had dismantled the progress made by his predecessor, Dr. Bello Matawalle, particularly in security.

“Under Dr.Matawalle’s administration, security was tackled effectively with a balanced approach that combined both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

“It is on record that for nine consecutive months, there were no reported terrorist or bandit attacks in the State—this is a testament to his strategic collaboration with stakeholders and innovative strategies. It is regrettable, that under the current administration, insecurity has surged due to the Governor’s neglect of residents’ welfare and his unwillingness to apply effective security measures like his predecessor did.

“Dauda Lawal has, unfortunately, distanced himself from Zamfara, governing from Abuja and displaying indifference to his responsibilities. We call upon him to return to the state and revisit the handover notes left by Dr. Bello Matawalle, the current Minister of State for Defence, who prioritized peace, development, and employment during his tenure.

“It is an unfortunate situation residents of Zamfara State face today that due to the Governor’s highhandedness, ego and pride, he has refused to meet with stakeholders and engage necessary persons to ending criminality in the State. We want to use this medium to call on the Governor to embrace collaboration and do all that is necessary to tackle insecurity in the state, just as his predecessor successfully did.”

The APC Zamfara Youth League, while lauding Dr. Matawalle’s tenure as Governor urged Dauda Lawal to learn from the infrastructure development, job creation and social investment undertaken by the former Governor in bringing development to the state.

“As Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Matawalle gave infrastructure development in the State priority. He showed that healthcare and education deserved the utmost attention both sectors deserved. He strategically built modernized hostels, schools and hospitals across the state to address shortages of health delivery and quality education. He knew and understood that by investing in these areas of the development of the State, he would be curing age-long menaces of underdevelopment in the State.

“It is on the record that Dr. Bello Matawalle, as Governor of Zamfara State ensured that there was a Primary Health Care Centre built and furnished with the necessary equipment in each of the 147 local government centres of the State.

“We use this medium to call on Dauda Lawal to emulate the successes of his predecessor and continue to build more schools, employ more teachers, doctors and furnish these infrastructures with the needed equipment to ensure that they work to serve the people of Zamfara State.”

The group stated that: “Dauda Lawal must remember that his job is not to complain but to build on the successes of what has already been laid before him.”