Zamfara: APC faults Gov Lawal’s budget presentation

All Progressives Congress (APC ) in Zamfara has called on Governor Dauda Lawal to reverse the budget presentation of the 2025 proposed year in the state, saying the presentation was accompanied by illegality.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the state APC publicity secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris said they were shocked and perplexed by the highest level of disregard for the nation’s constitution as displayed by governor Dauda Lawal, his executive and the state legislature in the presentation and receipt of the 2025 budget proposal.

The statement reads in part: “The illegality that accompanied the budget presentation which event held today at the State House of Assembly is, to say the least, the most embarrassing thing the state government has done not only against itself but to the entire people of the state”.

“While planning to spend over N545 billion naira, governor Dauda and his stooges cowardly decided to hide themselves in the hollowed chamber of the state assembly to cook up in secrecy how they intend to perfectly perpetrate their hidden agenda”.

“The legislature had ahead of the presentation decided to suspend nine out of the 24 member state assembly who were suspected to possibly challenge the document during and after presentation so that the process would go unchallenged”.

“This development plus the refusal of the member representing Kaura Namoda to participate in the unholy presentation left the assembly, unfortunately for Governor Dauda’s proponents with less than two-thirds members who cannot constitutionally pass any bill and therefore nullifying and voiding today’s action”.

“Even the 14 members that remained in the assembly were said to have dropped to eight according to one media source”.

“The APC in Zamfara, therefore, is calling on the governor, the state government,t, and the state House of Assembly to immediately reverse the charade done today as well as apologize to the people in their internet, st, or we will seek legal redress by dragging them to court.”

“We are appealing to the nation’s anti-corruption agencies, especially the EFCC and ICP, C, to investigate the total abuse of financial regulations by the governor’s cabal to perpetuate illegality in our dear state.”

“Throughout the country, at this moment, there’s no state assembly that has suspended about half of its members”.

“But the Zamfara Assembly has suspended the following members since February 2024: Ibrahim Tudu Tukur (Bakura Constituency), Hon Faruk Musa Dosara(Maradun 1 Constituency), Hon Shamsudeen Hassan Basko (T/Mafara North Constituency), Bashar Aliyu Gummi (Gummi 1 Constituency), Hon Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North Constituency), Hon Barr Bashir Masama ( Bukkuyum North Constituency), Hon Amiru Ahmad Keta (Tsafe East Constituency), Hon Bashiru Bello (Bungudu West Constituency), who have now remained under the illegal suspension for good 10 months while their salaries and allowance are being shared among the Principal officers of the House of Assembly”.

The statement added: “However, the minority leader of the House, Hon. Aliyu Ang,o, was indirectly suspended where all his entitlements were also seized.”

“Under the House Standing Rules, you can only suspend a member for not more than two weeks, which is equivalent to eight legislative days, thus making this one a gross violation, more so when the affected members have not been receiving their salaries and allowances nor were they given a fair hearing to appear before the House Ethics and Privileges Committee over the matter for which they were suspended and without recourse to the fact that their respective constituencies are not represented at crucial decisions like the annual budget for ten months now”.

“The governor must know that governance is done according to constitutional provision, not personal interests and abusing the constitutional rights of others; all these will boomerang on him even before the end of his tenure”.