The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has disclosed that his administration is yet to receive any form of financial assistance from the federal government because he is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking in an interview with DW Hausa, Lawal claimed that some states have received over N500 billion from the federal government as support, whereas Zamfara is yet to receive anything.
The Zamfara governor said his administration did not obtain loans and that it is using the resources available to pay workers’ salaries and embark on developmental projects.
“I have never received any support from the federal government, unlike the assistance others have received,” Lawal said in Hausa Language.
According to him, “I know some states have received over N500 billion from the federal government, but we haven’t received anything yet.
“And I think it is because I’m not in APC. I’m a member of the PDP — an opposition party. They don’t support people like us. All of these didn’t stop us from doing some developmental projects in our state — Zamfara.
“We don’t collect loans, we use what we have, to pay salaries, increase workers’ salaries, pay pensioners. All from that money that we have.
“We didn’t collect any loan up till now in Zamfara state, we are even paying the past debts, go to the federal ministry of finance and check, they are removing N1.2 billion each month from our money and it’s for the debt of past administration.
“Before they were removing N1.5 billion because it now reduces to N1.2 billion each, every month before they send us our money and we are still paying it.”
Lawal deplored the recent defections from his party to the APC, vowing that the current internal wrangling in the PDP will not make him jump ship.
The Zamfara Governor however stated that if he is unable to contest the 2027 election in the PDP, he will seek another political party since Nigeria’s electoral system does not allow independent candidacy.
