The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Zamfara State House of Assembly’s decision to declare the seat of its Minority Leader, Aliyu Ango-Kagara (APC-Talata Mafara South), vacant.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the APC’s spokesman in Zamfara, Yusuf Idris, described the assembly’s action as an abuse of office and a deliberate attempt to weaken the opposition in the legislature.
“We consider the assembly’s action as a move to weed out the APC from the state assembly. The declaration of the minority leader’s seat vacant was just for political reasons to silence the opposition in the house,” Idris stated.
The APC further criticized the assembly for what it called an ongoing clampdown on opposition lawmakers, referencing the suspension of eight members of the house in January 2024.
“We condemn the assembly in totality. This is coming in addition to the illegal suspension of eight members of the house since January 2024,” the party added.
According to the APC, the decision to declare Ango-Kagara’s seat vacant lacked constitutional backing and failed to follow due process.
“This is very unfortunate that the leadership of the house has been fighting their colleagues who refused to dance to their tunes, especially as rubber stamps,” the statement read.
The party warned that it might take legal action against the assembly over what it described as an infringement on the rights of its members.
“We caution the state lawmakers that the matter may lead the APC to approach a court of law for proper interpretation and claim damages,” Idris stated.
The APC also emphasized that any disciplinary action against lawmakers should follow due process and fair hearing, rather than what it termed blindfolded actions by the assembly’s leadership.
