A civil society group, Guardians of Justice and Democratic Leadership, has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the deepening political and security crisis in Zamfara State, urging President Bola Tinubu to invoke Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency in the state.

The group cited the ongoing power tussle between the governor and the Zamfara State House of Assembly, which has resulted in two parallel leaderships and a breakdown in governance.

The group’s executive director, Patriot Abel Adams, expressed deep concern over the state’s worsening security situation, which, according to him,” with 14 local government councils experiencing rampant insecurity, killings, and destruction of properties.”

Adams accused Governor Lawal of being one of the worst-performing governors in the country, lacking the capacity to govern and secure the people of the state.

According to Adams, bandits in the state have been emboldened and have sacked whole communities and made life unbearable for the people of the state.

“Rather than strenuously work at eliminating the hydra-headed challenges of poverty, kidnapping, and banditry, the governor would rather engage in frivolous spending, make hypocritical sympathy visits to victims of the almost daily attacks and the families of the dead,” Adams said.

“The governor should know that the same election that brought him to office and grants legitimacy to him as the governor is the same election that guarantees constitutional powers to the members of the State House of Assembly to act and represent their constituencies,” Adams said.

“No authority confers on him a more deserving priority order than that he is the governor of the State and must act within the constitutional allowance of his office.

“He is required to observe the principles of the rule of law, the principles of separation of powers and the observance of Checks and Balance, tenets without which democracy is no longer democracy but authoritarianism.

“The governor in failing to truly understand the tenets of democracy and uphold same, has also failed to take a cursory look at the House Standing Rules, but instead has gone on a miserable sightseeing, thinking that as a governor he has total tyrannical control and that the State Legislators are stooges and thus intends to turn them to effective rubber stamps.

“Unfortunately, he is left with no option but must obey the new leadership of the House of Assembly or face the wrath of the people in an escalating crisis, which will make the State completely ungovernable for him and directly compel a declaration of the State of Emergency.

“We believe that the governor’s actions are a recipe for chaos and anarchy, and it’s only a matter of time before the situation becomes ungovernable. We call on the authorities to intervene and restore order in Zamfara State, ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens.”

The group also commended the 10 lawmakers who have been fighting for their rights and the rights of their constituents, despite facing intimidation and harassment from the governor’s camp.

“These lawmakers have shown courage and conviction in standing up for what is right, and we urge them to continue to defend the interests of their constituents,” Adams said.

The group urged the authorities to take immediate action to restore order and stability in Zamfara State, ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens.