By Abdullahi Inuwa
Senator urges political rapprochement for economic gain, says “Play smart politics, not party politics”
GUSAU — Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has issued a strong piece of political advice to Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal: mend fences with President Bola Tinubu or risk missing out on critical federal support for development in the embattled state.
The former Abia governor and current senator representing Abia North made the appeal on Monday during the commissioning of the newly constructed Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the renovated Zamfara College of Arts and Science in Gusau, the state capital.
Kalu, a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urged the PDP governor to set aside partisan rivalry and embrace strategic cooperation with the Tinubu-led administration for the sake of Zamfara’s future.
“Mr. President is not just my political ally—he’s family,” Kalu said. “I once had political differences with him, but we resolved them. Now we work together. I’m advising you to do the same. You don’t need to join APC, but you need to be on good terms.”
In a pointed remark, the senator cautioned Governor Lawal against allowing political affiliations to block access to federal opportunities.
“If you play politics, you leave the federal money. If you do political economics, you get the federal money and develop Zamfara. Do PDP as a party, but act like a Zamfara man when it comes to development,” Kalu stressed.
He referenced former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari and Governor Lawal as two influential sons of Zamfara who must rise above political turf wars for the greater good.
“Both of you are from Zamfara. You should come together and bring the development the people are crying for. This state needs urgent attention from the Federal Government,” Kalu said.
He reminded the gathering that political pragmatism, not partisanship, was what helped Tinubu succeed in the early 2000s.
“When Obasanjo was president, Tinubu wasn’t even in our party. But as governors, we collaborated. That’s what leadership is—knowing when to fight and when to build bridges.”
The senator’s remarks come at a time Zamfara is grappling with deep security and economic challenges, with many observers calling for greater federal-state collaboration.
Kalu’s message was clear: cooperation, not confrontation, is the currency for federal development under the Tinubu administration.
“Do the politics of development. That’s how you win—not just for yourself, but for your people,” he concluded.
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