PDP Accuses Masari of Squandering Billions on Security

By Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, yesterday, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) government in the state of spending billions of naira “without securing” the lives and property of the citizenry.

But in a swift reaction, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Masari on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi described the allegations as “baseless and of no value.”

Regardless, Majigiri, who was responding to a statement made by the state Governor Aminu Bello Masari that “Katsina is under security siege”, alleged that the government was plunging the state into debt and severe hardship by deploying limited resources into “fictitious projects without security for the people of Katsina. If the chief security officer of a state cannot provide security for the people of the state, then what about the billions of naira spent on security? Who did he secure with the billions of naira?”

The PDP boss therefore, urged the governor to resign with immediate effect to pave way for people he described as competent hands to pilot the affairs of the state.

He said: “I think his resignation will make Katsina not to be under siege anymore. Katsina will be secure and safe when Masari resigns because this is about 42 or 43 months of his 48 months in the office.

“They have been spending billions on security matters but at the end what is the result? It is better for him to resign to give way to some people to come on board and secure our people.”

Majigiri debunked insinuations making the rounds that APC inherited insecurity from PDP, adding that: “It was never inherited from PDP, even if it was inherited President Muhammadu Buhari said it in Akwa Ibom that he has fulfilled his campaign promises by providing security, economy and fight against corruption.”

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Masari on Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, who debunked the allegation as mere politics, said, “When Majigiri was chief of staff to former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, what advice did he give him when 142 persons were killed by cattle rustlers in Faskari, Sabuwa and Musawa during their administration?

“It is mere politics. Therefore, Governor Masari is not out to play politics with the lives of Katsina people. Masari is the only North-west governor that mobilises others to fight against insecurity.”

He advised those interested in the truth about the Masari government to come over and be properly briefed instead of “hurling inflammatory statements at members of the public.”