PDP Governors Defend Zamfara Meeting, Reject ADC’s Criticism

A recent gathering of the PDP Governors’ Forum in Gusau, Zamfara State, has come under fire from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which accused the forum of exploiting a security crisis for political optics. The PDP, however, has defended the meeting as pre-planned and essential, calling ADC’s objection misguided.

The ADC condemned the gathering, highlighting the timing just days after deadly attacks in Zamfara characterising it as callously tone-deaf. Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, claimed that images of PDP governors dressed in ceremonial attire, smiling for the cameras amid grief, were “totally out of place in an environment that still reeks of so much blood and sorrow”

In turn, the PDP Governors’ Forum emphasised that the meeting was pre-arranged and centred on pressing national issues, including security strategy. Emmanuel Agbo, the Forum’s Director‑General, noted that while the governors praised Zamfara State’s recent security efforts, they also raised alarms about persistent violence in other regions such as Katsina, Plateau, Niger, and Benue. He urged the federal government to take decisive action

The PDP further criticised the ADC for what it termed “a lack of understanding” of the forum’s purpose, suggesting that if ADC genuinely seeks reconciliation, it ought to express “genuine remorse” rather than launching accusatory attacks

This exchange underscores a tense pattern in Nigerian politics, where insecurity and political optics often entwine. Zamfara, still reeling from attacks that displaced communities and claimed lives, remains politically charged. Against this backdrop, ADC’s call for a state of emergency—echoed by others following mass casualties in both Zamfara and neighbouring Katsina—signals growing impatience with recurring violence and leadership responses.
Meanwhile, the PDP’s emphasis on national issues and solidarity across states reflects an effort to project leadership continuity—even as both parties navigate a fraught security landscape.

In defending their Gusau meeting, the PDP Governors’ Forum insists it was a necessary platform to address national security and mutual challenges, not a political photo-op amid tragedy. Whether this defence resonates with a public traumatized by violence remains to be seen. As tensions simmer, what’s clear is that political messaging and security reassurances must go hand in hand—especially in states like Zamfara where both governance and stability are on trial.