The Concerned Citizens Network for Democracy (CCND) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the governments of Benue and Zamfara States, demanding the immediate recall of all suspended lawmakers or face legal action aimed at halting statutory federal allocations to both states.
In a statement released in Abuja and signed by its Secretary-General, Moses Adamu, the group accused the two state Houses of Assembly of operating in violation of the Nigerian Constitution, alleging they lack the legal quorum required to function or pass appropriation bills.
CCND vowed to approach the Federal High Court to compel the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation to suspend monthly FAAC disbursements to the states until constitutional order is restored.
“This is not just an internal legislative matter,” Adamu stated. “It is a flagrant abuse of democratic institutions, where governors, in connivance with speakers, are running states without the minimum legislative legitimacy. It is a rape of democracy.”
According to the group, nearly half of the lawmakers in both Benue and Zamfara have been suspended under what it described as questionable circumstances, rendering the assemblies incapable of achieving the two-thirds quorum stipulated by law. Despite this, a minority of members continue to sit and deliberate, including on critical matters such as budget approvals.
“No House of Assembly can lawfully function, debate, or pass legislation without meeting constitutional quorum.
When the majority of duly elected representatives are removed, the legislature becomes illegitimate. Any actions taken under such conditions are legally void,” Adamu warned.
He noted that the implication is that both Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara are operating without lawful legislative endorsement, rendering their administrations unconstitutional in practice.
“These governors are not monarchs. They are elected public servants required to govern with checks and balances. Without a validly constituted assembly, they are ruling outside the law,” he said.
The group proposed that halting financial allocations to the affected states was the only peaceful and lawful way to force a resolution. “Public funds are being disbursed to executives who are operating outside constitutional provisions. The CBN and the Accountant General must not continue to bankroll this illegality,” the statement added.
CCND likened the scenario to a private company operating without a functioning board of directors, arguing that no credible financial institution would continue to release funds under such conditions.
“The state assembly is the people’s boardroom. You cannot suspend half the directors and claim to be running legitimate affairs,” the group said.
The statement also raised concerns about the political undertones of the suspensions. It alleged that many of the affected lawmakers were vocal critics of the executive, some of whom had raised issues relating to insecurity, budget implementation, and constituency projects before being removed.
Adamu further alleged that some suspended members in Benue State had been barred from accessing the Assembly complex and had their allowances and entitlements withdrawn without due process.
He warned that the silence of civil society, federal institutions, and the judiciary could embolden governors to replicate such tactics nationwide, eroding democratic checks and balances.
CCND called on the state governments to immediately reinstate all suspended lawmakers and restore legislative order. “If within 72 hours no concrete steps are taken, we shall file a suit at the Federal High Court seeking to declare the current assemblies illegal and stop all statutory allocations to both states,” the statement concluded.
