Political tensions in Zamfara State escalated on Thursday, January 29, as the state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) traded accusations over alleged harassment and arrests of opposition members.
The APC accused Governor Dauda Lawal of deploying security personnel attached to the Government House to intimidate and detain party members ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a statement, Zamfara APC spokesman Yusuf Idris condemned the arrest of Bashir Gusau, a social media influencer popularly known as Ambassador, alleging that government operatives were involved.
“The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is appalled by the illegal arrest of one of its members, Bashir Isah Gusau, by security personnel attached to Governor Dauda Lawal,” Idris said.
He added, “He was picked up by four individuals who identified themselves as DSS operatives attached to the Government House and arrived in a covered plate number vehicle from the Government House.”
According to Idris, Gusau was at a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau, the state capital, when the operatives allegedly fired live shots into the air to disperse the crowd before taking him away.
“We strongly suspect that he is being held at the Government House,” Idris said, noting that police stations had no record of his detention and that all his phone lines were switched off.
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The APC accused the Lawal administration of misusing security operatives for political purposes and vowed legal action to protect party members.
“We have mobilised our lawyers to take legal action against any further victimisation of our members,” Idris added.
In response, the PDP dismissed the allegations, calling them false and politically motivated. Zamfara PDP spokesman Haliru Andi insisted that Governor Lawal had never targeted opposition members.
“The APC is only trying to smear the good image of Governor Dauda Lawal because they have nothing negative to say about his leadership qualities,” Andi said.
“The governor has no hand in the alleged arrest of Bashir Isah Gusau and has never ordered the arrest of anyone on account of political differences,” he added, stressing that Lawal governs all residents of Zamfara irrespective of party affiliation.
Andi further highlighted the administration’s focus on development, stating, “The people of Zamfara State can attest to the fact that since the governor assumed office in 2023, he has been committed to developing a state that had for years been neglected.”
The latest accusations underscore the growing political friction in Zamfara as parties prepare for the 2027 general elections, with both APC and PDP claiming the moral high ground on governance and political conduct.