A major political argument has broken out between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over a meeting held in Zamfara State, a region recently hit by terrible violence.
The disagreement began after governors from the PDP held a scheduled meeting in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, last Friday and Saturday. This took place just days after deadly attacks had claimed many lives in parts of the state.
In strong criticism, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Sunday called out the PDP’s decision. He described the meeting as insensitive and asked President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara. The ADC accused the PDP governors of being driven solely by a “quest for power” and showing no empathy for human lives.
“We condemn the decision of PDP governors to hold their political meeting in Zamfara on Saturday, only a few days after scores of innocent citizens were slaughtered in that same state,” the ADC stated.
It added, “Instead of the governors to rally around their beleaguered colleague to help stop the orgy of killings, they chose to stage a political rally at the scene of mass murder, even if it meant trampling on the memory of the victims.”
The ADC also pointed to photographs from the event, noting that the images of “PDP governors in full ceremonial robes, grinning for the camera is totally out of place in an environment that still reeks of so much blood and sorrow.”
However, the PDP Governors’ Forum has hit back fiercely. In a statement released on Monday by its Director General, Emmanuel Agbo, it defended the meeting and accused the ADC of trying to score political points from a tragedy.
The forum described the ADC’s statement as an “irresponsible attack” and stated that “playing politics and trying to gain political capital with human lives isn’t our stock in trade as is characteristic of the ADC.”
It explained that the meeting in Zamfara had been planned beforehand and was not arranged at the last minute. The PDP suggested that the ADC itself should have shown more compassion, saying the party “should have done better by empathising through a visit to the affected states than playing to the gallery.”
According to the PDP, the meeting involved serious discussions about the country’s critical issues. “The meeting extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, the security situation, amongst other critical issues of national interest,” the statement read.
A communique issued after the meeting included a focus on insecurity. The forum specifically “commends initiatives by the government of Zamfara State in significantly curbing insecurity within the state” but also “condemns the continued monstrous killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger and Benue States and other parts of the country.”
The PDP used the opportunity to take a swipe at the ADC’s political strength, claiming that since some members left the PDP for the ADC, the party has become “much more formidable, and focused.” It even extended a controversial offer, saying “the PDP still has our arms and doors widely open to them if they genuinely act remorsefully in repentance.”
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