Zamfara Politics Takes a New Turn Under Governor Lawal

If you watch Zamfara politics closely, you will see that it is changing under Governor Dauda Lawal in surprising ways.

For many years, politics in Zamfara has been a rough ride full of chaos, threats, and the unfair treatment of opponents using state power. People who disagreed were treated as enemies. Political meetings were often disrupted by thugs. Critics faced serious pressure.

But this unhealthy and undemocratic past is shifting significantly under Governor Lawal's leadership.

A clear sign of this new democratic spirit happened on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, at Taula Conference Hall in Gusau. Political party candidates in Zamfara State signed a formal Peace Accord, with Governor Dauda Lawal present. The Zamfara Police Command, led by CP AM Bello, helped arrange this accord as part of a broader plan for a peaceful 2027 general election.

This is, to my knowledge, the first time a sitting governor in Zamfara has attended such a peace agreement. Major opposition candidates even sent representatives instead of attending themselves. This shows how committed Governor Lawal is to peaceful elections.

Before this peace deal, Lawal's government had already set a good example by allowing opposition voices to express themselves without fear or interference.

In the last few weeks, two opposition governorship candidates, Senator Kabir Marafa of the NDC and Bilyaminu Shinkafi of the ADC, held separate rallies in Gusau, the state capital.

In the past, holding such rallies would have been impossible due to state-sponsored violence and intimidation, as seen in other places. But in Zamfara today, these rallies took place peacefully without any threats.

Interestingly, these events were held at Freedom Square, built by the rescue administration. This shows that Zamfara is moving from a politics of destruction to a more mature competition of ideas. Governor Lawal is proving that you can be in charge without being fearful, and a leader can be strong without being harsh.

During these rallies, while many focused on the size of the crowd, I looked at what they were saying to judge their ideas and see how the rescue administration and APC supporters reacted to opposition.

What I saw was a confident government, APC supporters who were disciplined and mature, and an opposition that seemed unprepared and struggling to present a clear vision for the state.

Marafa was the first to hold his rally, where he introduced his campaign team. I was surprised that Marafa, who usually speaks out, found it hard to criticize the Lawal administration. He seemed stuck trying to find a fault, and the only thing he could mention was about car distribution. His ‘five-point plans’ for governing Zamfara seem mostly about cars.

But honestly, Governor Lawal has not failed even by Marafa's own standards. Marafa could be excused for not knowing the situation as he has been away from Zamfara for a while.

For the record, Governor Lawal has given out about 200 operational vehicles to security agencies, including armored vehicles to protect the people Marafa wants to lead. He also bought 50 new 18-seater buses under the Zamfara Mass Transit scheme called Bazamfara to help with transportation.

Additionally, he gave another 50 buses to members of the NURTW at subsidized prices to support them. Right now, about 100 electric vehicles are ready to hit the streets to improve public transport. So, what cars is Marafa really talking about?

Next, Bilyaminu Shinkafi had his rally. His speech was not only naive but also showed a rush to be in charge and a lack of basic economic understanding. He criticized the government's efforts to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is key to delivering benefits to the people.

Shinkafi might not know that Zamfara cannot rely just on federal funds. I want to remind him that it is from these revenues that the government is funding the multi-billion naira Referral Hospital in his hometown, meant to provide advanced healthcare for his people and the people of Zamfara. When finished, this hospital will compete with top hospitals like UDUTH, AKTH, and ABUTH.

It is from these funds that the government paid about N20 billion in retirement benefits to former civil servants and raised the minimum wage from N7,000 to N70,000 in three years.

It is also from these revenues that the government built an international-standard cargo airport, the same airport Shinkafi and his team used to fly to Abuja after his rally, among other important projects.

The opposition in Zamfara now has a clear challenge. Democracy has given them the chance to speak, hold events, and the government has provided a peaceful environment for them.

What the people of Zamfara want from them is not just empty political shows. They expect real ideas and a solid alternative to the well-planned rescue agenda, if they have any.