Former governorship aspirant and patron of the Bola Tinubu/Kashim Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has rejected calls for a state of emergency in Zamfara State, describing them as reckless and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on behalf of the Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, Shinkafi alleged that the calls are being championed by “desperate politicians who lost elections and now seek unconstitutional means to seize power.”
“We are aware of their antics as expired politicians and urge President Bola Tinubu and all lovers of democracy to ignore them as they wallow in their delusions of grandeur,” Shinkafi said.
He accused these unnamed groups of attempting to destabilise the state and distract Governor Dauda Lawal from his governance agenda.
“The agenda of these agents provocateurs is to distract Governor Dauda Lawal and destabilise the state as it was before he assumed office on May 29, 2023,” he added.
Zamfara Not in Crisis—Shinkafi Defends Governor, Blasts Political ‘Jobbers’
Shinkafi emphasised that the situation in Zamfara does not meet the constitutional conditions for declaring a state of emergency.
“The appointment of a sole administrator is an aberration and undemocratic. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not might.
“There is no place for dictatorship, autocracy, and despotism in constitutional democracy,” he stated.
Shinkafi highlighted improvements in security and public services under Governor Lawal and noted the state’s progress in curbing armed banditry, paying a ₦70,000 minimum wage, and advancing infrastructure.
“If the intention of the groups and their sponsors is to distract Governor Lawal, they have failed woefully,” he asserted.
He urged political actors to “play by the rules” and avoid divisive politics ahead of the 2027 elections. “It is time for patriotism, not antagonism,” Shinkafi concluded.
