“I will negotiate with the bandits if I become Governor of Kaduna.” – PDP candidate Guber  

Isah Ashiru Kudan, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate for Kaduna State, said that if elected, his government would negotiate with the bandits to get a lasting solution to the threat. security threat from this state.
Kudan made this statement during a discussion with ARISE TV on issues related to his party’s chances ahead of the state election for governor and lower house on March 11.

“We have to engage these people involved in banditry and kidnapping. They are people living among us. People are thinking that they are monsters, they are not. We can sit with them, discuss, and bring this menace to an end.

“The problem in Kaduna is disturbing. Come to Kaduna and see. People are not sleeping with their eyes closed. If we really want to get this (banditry) out of our society, there has to be an engagement with these people to make sure that whatever is their problem is addressed,” he said.

The PDP candidate faulted some of the policies of the incumbent governor, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, including the sacking of some traditional rulers, adding that such a decision worsened the security situation in the state.

He said,

“The truth of the matter is that whether we like it or not, people must be involved in getting us out of these insecurity problems. The issues that are enumerated are those of our inability to take maximum use of our vast lands. We have vast lands that are ungoverned.

“In the past, we had traditional rulers that were managing these vast lands but these rulers are no more now. When we come onboard, I assure you that we’ll ensure the right things are done by bringing these people back.

“Second, the issue of funding as far as the security issue is concerned in the state has been very poor. We have made contacts with those that are in the security apparatus within the state and they said they’ve not had enough as far as the issue of funding is concerned. We will make sure that we do the right things as far as the issue of funding is concerned.”