The Peoples Democratic Party has called on deputy defence minster Bello Matawalle to focus on decisively dealing with banditry and other crimes affecting the country.

A statement by the PDP publicity secretary in Zamfara, Haliru Andi, on Monday, said that as a public servant, the minister’s primary duty was to provide security to the teeming population in the country, not personal interests.

He noted with concern the minister’s absence from his constitutional duties to engage himself in political gatherings in the state and urged him to refocus on his responsibilities and serve with integrity.

”As a party, the PDP is deeply concerned about the current state of affairs in Zamfara and Nigeria as a whole. We wish to remind the minister to be determined in fighting banditry and eliminating them from the state,” he said.

He added that the recent directive by Abdul-Aziz Yari to all Zamfara APC members aspiring for governorship or any other political seat in the forthcoming 2027 elections to start seeking the support of the electorate was in order.

“But it is inappropriate and unacceptable for the minister to abandon his constitutional duties at these trying times in the country to pursue political interests.

“As we await the nation’s election umpire to give the green light for the start of the 2027 electioneering political campaigns across the country, we expect the minister to face the issue of banditry ravaging his home state and the country squarely.

”This will help justify the confidence reposed in him by President Bola Tinubu. As minister of defence, he must place his constitutional duties above any other personal interest,” Mr Andi said. 

(NAN)