Gov Lawal Passed Budget Without Quorum, Says Suspended Lawmaker Who Dumped APC

A suspended member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Hon. Anas Ibrahim Chitukor, has given more insight into why he and seven other suspended lawmakers defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chitukor, the spokesman for the 8 suspended Zamfara lawmakers who represents Talata Mafara South

Constituency, told LEADERSHIP in an exclusive interview that the lawmakers are now eight in number, not nine as earlier reported, as one of them had pulled out.

He said their ordeal started in February 2024 when they raised concerns over worsening insecurity in their constituencies.

According to him, they had earlier met with Governor Dauda Lawal who assured them of his commitment to address insecurity and gave them a direct line to reach him whenever there was an outbreak of attacks.

“We exercised patience for at least a month. When insecurity continued to rise, we had no alternative than to go to the chamber and address the matter,” he said.

Chitukor explained that when they attempted to raise the issue on the floor of the House, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were said to be unavailable.

He said 18 members, which is more than two-thirds of the 24-member Assembly, were present and decided to invoke the House Rules by appointing a Speaker pro-tempore to preside.

“Each of us addressed the issue of insecurity. At the end of that sitting, the leadership suspended eight members out of the 18 who sat,” he said.

The lawmaker said several interventions by religious leaders, traditional rulers and other eminent personalities in the state led to over 25 negotiation meetings, but the governor failed to reinstate them.

He alleged that after Governor Lawal defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, he conspired with some APC leaders in the state to block the suspended lawmakers from getting tickets to contest the next elections.

“We thought that since he met us in the party, all issues would be resolved. Instead, he negotiated with some APC leaders to ensure none of us was given a chance to contest. He said he does not want to work with us. This is democracy, not his personal company,” Chitukor said.

On the insinuation that they had already joined another party, Chitukor said no decision has been taken yet.

“We have to go back to our villages, to our constituencies and consult our people on which political party will be fruitful for them. Whatever they decide is what we will do,” he said.

He also raised the alarm over the running of the Assembly, alleging that the House has been operating without forming a quorum.

“The law says a two-thirds majority is required for crucial decisions. But there were times they passed the 2025 and 2026 budgets with only nine members. No quorum,” he alleged.

Speaking on the insecurity in Zamfara, Chitukor blamed the state government more than the federal government, linking the crisis to poverty, illiteracy and diversion of local government funds.

“Insecurity is tied to poverty. If local government funds are released, insecurity at the grassroots will reduce. Today, local government allocations and state allocations are accumulated in one account,” he alleged.

“How can a local government that gets N900 million be given only N50 million? How can that address insecurity? Even if the federal government provides the Army and police, who provides logistics and vehicles? It is the state government,” he queried.

He called on stakeholders to focus on education and economic empowerment of youths to tackle the root causes of banditry.

The other seven suspended lawmakers, according to Chitukor, are Hon. Bashir Masama, member representing Bukkuyum North; Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi I; Hon. Faruk Musa Dosara, Maradun I; Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara, Talata Mafara North; Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi, Maru North; Hon. Mukhtar Nasiru Jikan Shehu, Kaura Namoda North, and one other member.