THE Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki, has stated that the eight lawmakers who recently announced their resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been suspended long before now.
Moriki clarified that the lawmakers were suspended on February 26, 2024, over allegations of gross misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, contempt of the House and convening an unauthorised sitting in violation of the Assembly’s Standing Orders.
Recall that Aliyu Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Ibrahim Bakura, representing Bakura; Faruk Dosara, representing Maradun I; and Bashir Masama, representing Bukkuyum North; Muktaru Kaura, representing Kaura North; Nasiru Abdullahi, representing Maru North; Bashar Bello, representing Bungudu West; and Bashar Aliyu, representing Gummi I, on Sunday, October 4, announced their resignation in a statement, saying they could no longer remain in a party they accused of failing to adequately address the security challenges confronting residents of the state.
They also linked their decision to the failure to address what they described as the worsening welfare crisis affecting them and their constituents, having gone 32 months without salaries, allowances and other entitlements as lawmakers.
Kagara stated said whether the people of the state enjoy what was happening or not, they were in the best position to take action, and they need not be told, criticising the Governor Dauda Lawal administration over its handling of insecurity, particularly in rural communities.
“What we are challenging Lawal’s administration about is even worse now compared to previous times, so we have seen no reason to continue remaining in the APC.
“Our constituents in rural areas who voted us into power to address their security concerns were not being given any attention.”
However, the APC in the state, as at Sunday, said it was yet to receive official copies of the lawmakers’ resignation letters.
Its Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, said the APC had only seen the letters on social media and was awaiting official communication through their respective political wards and local government executives.
Birnin-Magaji stated: “We are still waiting for their correspondence from their respective political wards after reaching their local government executives, which would later be forwarded to us.
“We all saw it on social media platforms, but whenever we receive the copies officially, we would communicate with you on our stand.”
He said the party was not aware of the lawmakers’ grievances before the resignation letters surfaced.
However, Moriki, in a statement, accuses the lawmakers of breaking into the offices of the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms, forcibly entering the legislative chamber and damaging public property before holding an unauthorised sitting, leading to the institution of a criminal complaint against them before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The speaker, therefore, described their resignation from APC as an attempt to divert public attention from the disciplinary issues surrounding their suspension and create the impression of instability within the Assembly.
He stressed that the suspension was not connected to their recent political decision, but arose from alleged violations of the House rules and other disciplinary matters.
Moriki added that the Assembly, on May 13, this year, approved an extension of the lawmakers’ suspension for another legislative session due to unresolved disciplinary issues, citing the reinstatement of two other previously suspended lawmakers, following their apologies to the House, as evidence that the disciplinary measures were not politically-motivated or directed at any particular political affiliation.
He dismissed suggestions that the Assembly was unable to discharge its legislative responsibilities, saying it currently has 16 active members and continues to conduct its proceedings in line with the Constitution and its Standing Orders.
He said the Assembly held plenary last Tuesday, September 29, and was scheduled to reconvene on Monday, October 5; hence there was no basis to portray is as being in disarray.
He urged the public to distinguish between the political decisions of the lawmakers and the disciplinary proceedings against them, saying changing political parties does not automatically invalidate pending legislative or legal matters.
