The political crisis in Zamfara State has deepened as the Save Zamfara Coalition (SZC) issued a strong warning to Governor Dauda Lawal, urging him to recognise the newly elected Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Bashir Aliyu Gummi.
The coalition’s statement follows a dramatic development in the state legislature, where ten lawmakers—previously suspended in February—reconvened in Gusau and elected Gummi as Speaker. The lawmakers also called for the resubmission of the 2025 budget, citing concerns over executive overreach and the erosion of legislative independence.
In a statement signed by Haruna Mohammed and Shagari Ibn Nazir, President and Secretary General of the coalition respectively, the group praised the lawmakers for what it described as an act of defiance against executive interference. It accused the previous Assembly leadership of serving merely as a rubber stamp, alleging that critical decisions were taken without proper scrutiny or debate.
“These lawmakers have restored the soul of our parliament,” the group said, condemning what it described as Governor Lawal’s “attempts to suppress opposition and evade accountability”.
The coalition argued that the Assembly had long been marginalised under a leadership that, it claimed, failed to check the excesses of the executive. It warned that failure by the governor to acknowledge the new leadership would be interpreted as a constitutional violation and could provoke mass resistance, legal action, and nonviolent civil disobedience.
SZC maintained that the election of Speaker Gummi adhered to due parliamentary procedure, describing it as both a lawful and necessary intervention to restore checks and balances in the state. “Any refusal by Governor Lawal to recognise this leadership amounts to a constitutional breach—one that will be resisted by every legal and civil means available to us,” the group said.
The coalition also criticised the governor’s broader governance style, pointing to alleged mass dismissals of public servants, poor handling of security issues, and what it called “selective governance” that has alienated significant segments of the population.
It further endorsed the new leadership’s decision to demand a resubmission of the 2025 budget, arguing that greater scrutiny is needed to ensure fiscal transparency. “This is not about confrontation, but accountability,” the statement read. “The fiscal direction of the state must reflect the needs of the people.”
The group called on civil society organisations, traditional rulers, and the media to support the lawmakers in their bid to restore constitutional order. “This is not merely a Zamfara issue; it speaks to the survival of democracy in Nigeria,” the coalition warned.
Reaffirming its backing for the new Speaker and the ten lawmakers, SZC described them as “heroes of democracy” who had taken a stand during a difficult moment for the state’s legislature.
As tensions continue to escalate, observers say Zamfara’s unfolding political crisis may well test the strength of legislative autonomy and democratic accountability in one of Nigeria’s most volatile states.
