10 Zamfara lawmakers seek n’assembly intervention over ‘unlawful’ suspension

Ten suspended members of the Zamfara state house of assembly have asked the national assembly to intervene in their suspension they called “illegal”.

The lawmakers, comprising members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), were suspended nearly a year ago over allegations of misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, and holding an illegal sitting.

Out of 24 lawmakers, only 14 led by Bilyaminu Moriki, the speaker, conduct legislative business owing to the suspension of the 10 legislators.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Nasiru Abdullahi Maru, the lawmaker representing Maru North constituency, said many decisions made by the 14 lawmakers are null and void because certain legislative matters require a two-thirds majority vote.

The lawmaker accused Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, of being behind their suspension because they refused to be “rubber stamps”.

“We are fully behind the last press release issued by Honourable Kagara and wish to add that the eight of us here, have been under undue and illegal suspension by the assembly just because we have all along refused to dance to their tunes and serve as rubber stamps for the executive,” he said.

“The assembly leadership also needs to explain to the electorates how many times they sat to take public interest decisions in the house of assembly which has been moving from one place to another and only come together on a short notice to meet in secretive manners and take the bidding of their master who has since turned them into rubber stamps that are only convenient to some members.

“Similarly, any member found in violation of the House Standing Rules must be given fair hearing preceding any action and not the blind folded action of those members who think their uniformed act will hold water.

“We wish to call on the national assembly, security agencies, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to call the Zamfara state house of assembly to order as well as caution the state legislature over this matter that may lead to taking them to court with claims of damages.”