We’ll resist witch-hunt of suspended Zamfara lawmakers — APC

The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress says it will resist any attempt to witch-hunt the suspended members of the State House of Assembly.

This was contained in a statement issued in Gusau, the state capital, on Sunday by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Mallam Yusuf Idris.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that nine lawmakers were suspended by the House in February 2024 over an alleged violation of the assembly’s rules.

NAN also reports that the development had led to the factionalisation of the assembly, with a 13-member faction headed by Bilyaminu Moriki (PDP-Zurmi South) as Speaker.

The other faction comprises 10 members under the headship of Bashar Aliyu (PDP-Gummi I).

Idris said that the Zamfara State chapter of the APC found it disturbing and embarrassing how the constitutionally elected lawmakers were blocked from performing their legislative functions.

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“We are therefore calling on the state government to invite the two factions of the assembly for reconciliation in order to resolve the crisis and to move forward,” he said.

He maintained that APC would continue to be on the right side of the law and would not want constitutional matters to be politicised and used against public interests.

He said that the party would resist any attempt to witch-hunt the members just for voicing out their views on the security situation in their various constituencies.

Meanwhile, Moriki, while reacting to the matter, described the declaration of a parallel assembly by the suspended lawmakers as uncalled for.

He said: “You know we have issues with some lawmakers who were suspended by the house since last year over the alleged violation of the assembly rules.

“As I am speaking with you now, the matter of their suspension is before the Court; therefore, the action they took is illegal, null and void.”

The factional speaker said that the assembly remained the only legitimate legislative body authorised by law to carry out legislative duties in the state.