No-fly zone, FG, APC plot to take over Zamfara – PDP

Published March 4, 2021

John Alechenu , Abuja
THE Peoples Democratic Party, has alleged that the designation of Zamfara State airspace , as a no -fly zone , by the Federal Government , was a ploy by the All Progressives Congress, to forcefully take over the state .
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP , Kola Ologbondiyan said this at a media briefing, in Abuja , on Wednesday .
Ologbondiyan said, “ The PDP alerts of a sinister plot by the APC and its Federal Government , to forcefully take over the governance of Zamfara State through an imposition of an orchestrated state of emergency .
“ Our party rejects this attempt by power- mongers in the APC administration to undermine and subvert the democratic order in Zamfara state by creating the impression that the state government , under Governor Bello Matawalle, is to blame for the failures of the APC – led federal government to contain insecurity in the state .”
“ President Buhari may wish to recall the allegations in the public space of alleged complicity by his National Security Adviser , Gen . Babagana Monguno , in the unfortunate situation in Zamfara state, upon which our party had called for investigation .
“ Already , Governor Matawalle had declared that Mr. President was misinformed on the decision of imposing a ‘no – fly zone ’ on Zamfara , as recommended to him by Gen . Monguno .
“ It is even more worrisome that the Buhari Presidency will gloss over Kaduna, Niger and Mr. President ’s home state of Katsina, where killings , kidnapping and abduction have become a daily routine, only to be contemplating an emergency situation in Zamfara . ”
In response, the APC in a statement titled , “ President Buhari Will Explore All Legal Means To Protect Nigerians – APC , ” signed by the National Secretary , Senator John Akpanudoedehe , said , “ President Muhammadu Buhari has declared Zamfara State a ‘no -fly zone ’ and banned all mining activities as part of measures to tackle the security challenges witnessed in the state . Predictably , the PDP is in the news playing its tired card of baselessly politicising the presidential directive .
“ The President as Commander -in- Chief of the Armed Forces has a constitutional obligation to explore all legal means to protect Nigerians and restore normalcy to areas facing security challenges . Again , as Commander – in-Chief , the President is privy to classified intelligence , which will guide his actions as with his directive on Zamfara State .
“ While the party commends patriotic interventions and the support particularly from state governors and non ‑ state actors towards addressing issues of insecurity in the country , anybody willing to test the resolve of our security services to enforce the presidential directive is welcome to do so at his / her peril .”