Midterm Performance: North-West Group Slams Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal over Poor Performance Despite Massive FAAC Allocations

Two years after Dauda Lawal took the reins as governor of Zamfara State, a civil society group in the northwest has described his administration as a “monumental failure,” accusing him of squandering the billions received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) with no visible development to show for it.

The group, Zamfara Progressive Coalition (ZAC), in a statement signed by its president, Alhaji Ibrahim Dan-Azumi, said the people of Zamfara are worse off than they were in 2023 when Lawal assumed office.

The group said despite receiving billions in FAAC allocations within two years, the governor has “chosen pageantry over performance,” spending more time in Abuja than in the state he was elected to govern.

“It is heartbreaking that two years after the election of Dauda Lawal, Zamfara remains a state defined by hunger, fear, and neglect. Billions have come in, but not one major road, hospital, or school has been built or rehabilitated. The people have been abandoned,” the group said.

ZAC said Zamfara has remained one of Nigeria’s most troubled states, facing incessant attacks by bandits, displacement of rural communities, and the collapse of basic public services.

The group pointed to the growing number of out-of-school children, unpaid salaries in local governments, and the worsening security situation as signs of failed leadership.

“We expected a leader who would tackle insecurity with urgency, invest in agriculture, create jobs, and rebuild our broken systems. What we got instead is a part-time governor who prefers the comfort of Abuja to the cries of his people,” Dan-Azumi said in the statement.

“Go to Tsafe, Bungudu, and Maru LGAs — the people are living like refugees in their own land. Bandits collect taxes from farmers, while the government sits idle. Our people are being kidnapped weekly, yet the governor keeps attending ceremonies in Abuja.

“Hospitals across the state lack basic drugs. Pregnant women are dying from avoidable complications. Schools have no chairs, no roofs, and no teachers. Where has the money gone? We demand an audit of all FAAC allocations since 2023.

“The poverty level in Zamfara is among the highest in the country. Young people roam the streets with nothing to do. There are no empowerment schemes, no vocational training centres, and no industrial plans. This is governance by negligence.

“Governor Lawal promised a new Zamfara. What we got is a ghost governor. He shows up in Abuja more than in Gusau. Leadership requires presence, empathy, and accountability. We have seen none of these.

“This is a state with potential. We have gold, agriculture, and a youthful population. But none of this has been harnessed. Instead, what we see is a government that celebrates IGR growth on paper, while the people remain poor, hungry, and forgotten.”

The group said it will begin publishing monthly scorecards of the governor’s activities to keep citizens informed and pressure the government to act.

The coalition also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate how funds allocated to Zamfara in the last 24 months have been spent.