Dauda Lawal: Political patronage or public service? By Bala B Bitrus

No administration should be beyond criticism; if anything, criticism is necessary to keep it on its toes. In Zamfara State, however, the nature of the current debate is revealing. At a stakeholders’ meeting, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) voiced frustration over Governor Dauda Lawal’s apparent preference for the state’s development over political patronage. Their grievances raise a fundamental question: should public resources serve the interests of political loyalists or the collective good?

The complaints of some party members suggest, in simple terms, that Governor Dauda Lawal is too frugal in managing the state’s resources and insufficiently generous in meeting the demands of politicians who helped bring him to power. Perhaps a banker’s instinct for financial prudence has something to do with it. But the distinction between being financially responsible and being politically indifferent is an important one.

It must be stressed that Governor Lawal acknowledges that party members deserve to be patronised, and available evidence indicates that some have received contracts worth billions of naira. The disagreement, therefore, is not necessarily about whether party members have benefited, but about the extent of those benefits and the expectation that party members should have continuous access to public resources, with or without rendering any service.

At its heart, the dispute is about entitlement and the desire to sustain a system of political patronage that prevailed under previous administrations.

The timing of these complaints is also significant. With the 2027 general elections approaching, some party members appear to believe they can arm-twist the governor into returning to the old order. One must concede that some grievances may be genuine, particularly among party members who cannot meet the requirements for contract awards. Others, however, may reflect frustration with an administration unwilling to accommodate the expectation that public resources should be distributed among political loyalists.

Governor Lawal debunked the allegations of contract marginalisation while acknowledging a communication gap that had made it possible for some beneficiaries to deny benefiting from the administration. He consequently promised to publicise contract awards, including their values and the names of beneficiaries. With this decision, the governor has effectively killed three birds with one stone.

First, greater transparency will make it harder for beneficiaries to deny receiving contracts or sustain unfounded allegations of marginalisation. Second, it will raise the standard of accountability by allowing citizens to scrutinise the award of public contracts. Finally, it will enable Governor Lawal to continue focusing on the important task of delivering development to the people of Zamfara State.

To ensure that more party members can compete for contract opportunities under the Rescue Mission administration, Governor Lawal should complement his financial inclusion programme with a capacity-building initiative to familiarise interested members with public procurement procedures, tender documentation and eligibility requirements. This would give them a fairer opportunity to compete for contracts on merit, without compromising transparency or lowering the standards required for public expenditure.

The controversy in Zamfara State extends beyond the state and presents an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on a longstanding problem in the country’s politics: the tendency to measure a government’s success by its generosity towards political supporters, particularly the number of appointments and contracts awarded to them. Political parties exist to win elections and implement policies that improve people’s lives, not to serve as platforms for the enrichment of their members. Competent party members have every right to compete for contracts and appointments, but such opportunities must be governed by merit, due process and the public interest.

Politicians must be told in clear terms that their financial and political contributions do not confer an automatic claim to the public treasury. The success of a government should instead be measured by its performance and the benefits it delivers to the citizens it was elected to serve. This principle is particularly relevant in Zamfara State, where the administration inherited serious challenges in security, education, healthcare and infrastructure, all of which demand that scarce public resources be deployed in the wider public interest.

The real question, therefore, is this: by refusing to distribute public resources indiscriminately among party members while awarding contracts to those with the capacity to deliver, has Governor Lawal developed Zamfara State? There answer is a resounding yes.

The primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property and promote the welfare of citizens. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) affirms that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” while Section 14(2)(a) establishes that sovereignty belongs to the people, from whom government derives its authority. These provisions underscore the obligation of government at all levels to serve the public interest and protect the people.

Although the police and armed forces operate principally under the federal authority, Governor Lawal has refused to remain passive in the face of the security challenges confronting his people. Governor Lawal has responded by funding security operations, strengthening local security initiatives and collaborating with the military and other security agencies to combat terrorism and banditry. His administration’s interventions demonstrate that, even within the limits of state authority, a government can take practical steps to protect its citizens and support the restoration of peace.

The government has recruited and equipped more than 2,000 Community Protection Guards and provided operational vehicles to support security agencies. These interventions form part of its efforts to strengthen local security capacity and improve security conditions so that people can return to their homes and engage in economic activities. Security remains a work in progress. However, the debate should recognise these concrete interventions.

Agriculture is central to Zamfara State’s economic recovery because the livelihoods of many residents depend on farming. Recognising this, Governor Lawal’s administration has supported farmers through the distribution of agricultural inputs and equipment. In July 2025, the government launched a wet-season support programme targeting 59,205 smallholder farmers, with fertiliser, rice and maize seeds, herbicides and insecticides.

In February 2026, further inputs were distributed to dry-season farmers, while a larger intervention announced in July included 72,000 bags of fertiliser, 200,000 litres of herbicides, 100 crop-residue crushers, 100 grass choppers and 100 feed-milling machines. These measures are intended to improve productivity, strengthen food security and support rural livelihoods.

The administration has also pursued agricultural mechanisation. In August 2026, Zamfara began receiving 100 tractors under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme, following state approval of ₦6.271 billion for participation. The tractors come with implements to support land preparation and cultivation. These interventions demonstrate an effort to move agriculture beyond subsistence production, but their ultimate success will depend on farmers’ access to their fields, effective distribution of inputs, safe transportation of produce and access to markets.

In infrastructural development, Governor Lawal’s administration has prioritised roads, schools and healthcare facilities as part of its broader effort to rebuild Zamfara State and improve the living conditions of the people. The construction and rehabilitation of urban and rural roads have improved transportation. In education, the administration has rehabilitated and constructed more than 800 schools across the state’s 14 local government areas, creating a more conducive learning environment. These investments are particularly important in a state where insecurity and neglect had constrained economic activity. Their value lies in improving economic opportunities and restoring public confidence in government.

Healthcare infrastructure has also received significant attention, with the remodelling and upgrading of the Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau standing out as a flagship intervention. The project includes modern diagnostic facilities such as MRI and CT scanners, alongside improvements to specialist departments, laboratories and other essential services. The administration has also intervened in general hospitals, including facilities in Gusau and Anka, while undertaking the construction of a 200-bed facility at Talata Mafara General Hospital. These investments are designed to strengthen specialist and secondary healthcare, expand access to diagnosis and treatment, and reduce the need for residents to seek medical care outside the state.

The administration also understands that well-constructed healthcare facilities alone cannot deliver care without adequately remunerated personnel. In September 2026, Governor Lawal approved a 95 per cent salary increase for health workers, effective September 7, under a revised remuneration structure aligned with the Federal Government’s Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS). This intervention is aimed at improving staff welfare, attracting and retaining skilled medical professionals, and strengthening healthcare delivery across Zamfara State.

The government has also paid more than ₦16 billion in pension and gratuity arrears owed to retirees and settled approximately ₦1.4 billion in outstanding WAEC fees accumulated between 2018 and 2022. It has also cleared the liabilities that led to the withholding of university results for some indigenes of the state. These were significant obligations that had imposed real hardships on affected families. Settling such liabilities may not generate the immediate political visibility associated with distributing money to party supporters, but it addresses longstanding responsibilities that previous administrations should never have ignored.

These interventions bring the central issue into focus: the difference between deploying public resources to meet legitimate obligations and treating the treasury as a source of discretionary benefits for politically connected individuals. Governor Lawal’s administration has prioritised infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and economic development while emphasising financial discipline. The question is not whether politicians should benefit from government, but whether such benefits should take precedence over the needs of the wider population.

There is no doubt that political parties need members and that competent party loyalists deserve opportunities for appointments and contracts. However, such opportunities must be earned through competence, merit and due process; public resources cannot be treated as the exclusive preserve of party members. In a democracy, the people remain the ultimate beneficiaries of public resources, while elected officials are their temporary custodians.

History will ultimately judge the Lawal administration positively for choosing the public interest over political patronage and for prioritising the welfare of the people over the distribution of their collective patrimony among politicians.

Bala B Bitrus is public affairs commentator