The Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki, has said the eight lawmakers who recently announced their resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) had already been suspended from the Assembly over alleged misconduct, insisting that their political decision does not indicate a crisis within the House.
Moriki made the clarification on Monday after the lawmakers submitted resignation letters to their APC ward chairmen, citing alleged disunity, injustice, deception, unpaid entitlements and the government’s failure to adequately address insecurity in the state.
Key Highlights
- Zamfara Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki says eight APC lawmakers were already suspended.
- The lawmakers announced their resignation from the APC over alleged internal divisions and insecurity.
- Moriki says their suspension dates back to February 2024.
- The House extended their suspension in May 2026 because their case remained unresolved.
- Moriki rejects claims that the lawmakers’ exit demonstrates disarray within the Assembly.
- The lawmakers have not publicly announced a new political party.
Zamfara Speaker Explains Suspension Of Eight Lawmakers
According to Moriki, the eight lawmakers were suspended by the Assembly on February 26, 2024, over allegations including gross misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, contempt and breach of the House’s standing orders.
He said the allegations involved the lawmakers’ alleged forceful entry into the offices of the clerk and sergeant-at-arms, destruction of public property and participation in an unauthorised sitting.
Moriki added that a criminal complaint arising from the matter is currently before the court.
The Speaker stressed that the suspension was not connected to the lawmakers’ latest decision to leave the APC.
He said the suspension had been imposed more than two years before their purported defection and arose from disciplinary matters within the legislature.
House Extended Suspension In 2026
Moriki said the Assembly reviewed the matter on May 13, 2026, and extended the lawmakers’ suspension for another legislative session because the case had not been resolved.
According to the Speaker, two other lawmakers who had been suspended alongside the group apologised and were subsequently reinstated.
Moriki therefore argued that the latest political development should not be interpreted as evidence of a breakdown within the Zamfara Assembly.
He said 16 lawmakers remain active in the House, adding that plenary had held the previous Tuesday and that the Assembly was scheduled to reconvene on Monday.
Eight Lawmakers Cite Insecurity And Party Crisis
The lawmakers, in their resignation letters to their respective APC ward chairmen, reportedly cited several reasons for leaving the party.
Among the issues raised were alleged lack of unity among party stakeholders, deception, uncertainty, injustice, unpaid salaries and allowances, as well as concerns over insecurity in Zamfara State.
The lawmakers also criticised what they described as poor leadership and an alleged nonchalant attitude towards the security situation.
The lawmakers named in the resignation letters include Ibrahim T. Tukur of Bakura, Aliyu Ango Kagara of Talata Mafara South, Bashar Aliyu of Gummi I, Faruk Musa Dosara of Maradun I, Basiru Bello of Bungudu West, Nasiru Abdullahi of Maru North and Mukhtaru Nasiru Jikan Shehu of Kaura Namoda North.
Bashir Abubakar Masama of Bukkuyum North was also identified in a separate account as one of the lawmakers involved.
The lawmakers have not, however, announced the political party they intend to join.
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Zamfara APC Awaits Formal Notification
The Zamfara State chapter of the APC has reportedly said it became aware of the resignation letters through social media and was awaiting formal communication through the party’s ward and local government structures.
The development comes against the backdrop of political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governor Dauda Lawal is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the lawmakers involved in the latest development were elected on the APC platform.
Speaker Rejects Claims Of Assembly Crisis
Moriki maintained that the lawmakers’ political decision cannot be used as evidence that the House is divided or dysfunctional.
His position is that lawmakers who have remained under suspension over unresolved disciplinary and legal matters cannot present their departure from the APC as proof of instability within the legislature.
The lawmakers, however, have presented their decision as a political response to what they described as problems within the APC, including internal divisions, alleged injustice and the worsening security situation.
The conflicting positions have added another layer to Zamfara’s political landscape as political parties and lawmakers begin positioning ahead of the 2027 elections.
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