I think the dev is either lazy or deluded or incompetent.
Of course, the real threat to network security is arguably NiceHash, where it is possible to rent enough hashpower to execute a 51% attack on the smaller coins that use a common algo. Since NiceHash is unlikely to go away any time soon, and their location in Slovenia makes them all but untouchable, prudent coin devs should be figuring out how to mitigate such an attack vector now, rather than waiting for it to happen... Again.
Worst case scenario would be to rush to make some changes in code which we did not tested. Please understand, Developers are extremly busy with testing this anounced changes. Also new white paper about how we are going to protect Zen from 51% attack will be soon published, and those are priorities.
No matter from where this hashrate come from, I think it is better to solve this problem urgently in best manners, so we can protect all investors, exchanges and partners.