Zamfara Lawmakers Oppose Minority Leader’s Removal Over Absenteeism

Ten lawmakers in the Zamfara State House of Assembly have rejected the removal of Minority Leader Aliyu Ango-Kagara, calling it illegal and politically motivated. Earlier, Speaker Bilyaminu Moriki had declared Kagara’s seat vacant, citing prolonged absenteeism, stating that he attended only 21 out of 180 plenary sittings. The decision was backed by 14 out of 24 Assembly members, while the remaining 10 lawmakers condemned the move, calling it a coup orchestrated by a few members acting irresponsibly. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the aggrieved lawmakers, led by Nasiru Maru (Maru I Constituency), disclosed that they had petitioned the National Assembly to intervene before the crisis escalates. Maru alleged that the removal of the Minority Leader had effectively placed the Assembly under Executive control, rendering it a mere rubber stamp for the government. He further claimed that eight of them had been illegally suspended for refusing to conform. He argued that with the exclusion of 10 lawmakers, the Assembly no longer had the required two-thirds majority, making recent decisions—including the passage of the 2025 Appropriation Bill—invalid. The lawmakers called for an immediate reversal of Kagara’s removal, describing it as an abuse of office and an attempt to silence opposition. Among the dissenting lawmakers were Ibrahim Tukur, Faruk Musa, Shamsudeen Hassan, Bashar Aliyu, Nasiru Maru, Bashir Masama, Amiru Ahmed, Basiru Bello, Aliyu Ango-Kagara, and Mukhtaru Nasiru.