Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing worsening insecurity in their constituencies and alleged failure to pay their salaries and allowances for 32 months.
The mass resignation, involving lawmakers representing eight constituencies, deepens the political strain within the Zamfara APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, even as the party said it had yet to receive formal notification of their exit.
The lawmakers said their decision was driven by growing frustration over the security situation in rural communities and what they described as the inability of the party and the state government to address issues affecting their constituents.
One of the lawmakers, Aliyu Ango Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South, said remaining in the APC had become untenable because, according to him, the security challenges confronting their constituents had worsened.
“What we are challenging Governor Lawal’s administration about is even worse now compared to previous times, so we have seen no reason to continue remaining in the APC,” Kagara said.
He alleged that constituents in rural areas who elected them to represent their interests had been left without adequate attention to their security concerns.
The lawmakers also accused the state government of withholding their salaries, allowances and other entitlements for 32 months, describing the situation as another reason for their decision to leave the party.
“This is our 32 months without salary, allowances and other entitlements as honourable members, and the people of Zamfara; the ball is in their court,” Kagara said.
The other lawmakers who resigned are Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, representing Bakura; Faruk Musa Dosara, Maradun I; Bashir Abubakar Masama, Bukkuyum North; Muktaru Nasiru Kaura, Kaura North; Nasiru Abdullahi, Maru North; Bashar Bello, Bungudu West; and Bashar Aliyu, Gummi I.
The lawmakers did not announce the political platform they intend to join, leaving their next move open as political alignments begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the APC in Zamfara said it had not formally received the resignation letters from the affected members.
The party’s state publicity secretary, Ibrahim Danmadamin Birnin Magaji, said the APC had only encountered the lawmakers’ resignation notices on social media.
“We are still waiting for their correspondence from their respective political wards after reaching their local government executives, which would later be forwarded to us,” he said.
Danmadami said the party would make its position known after receiving the letters through the appropriate channels, adding that the APC was not previously aware of any grievances capable of triggering the mass resignation.
The development also appears to reopen old divisions within the state assembly, as the lawmakers were reportedly suspended by the APC after allegedly attempting to impeach the Speaker about a year ago.
A party source, who spoke anonymously, attributed their departure to unresolved disagreements with Governor Dauda Lawal, alleging that efforts to reconcile the affected lawmakers with the governor had failed.
“I don’t blame them, and they did the right thing, as the governor chose not to reconcile with them despite all efforts to ensure they remained in the APC,” the source said.
Governor Lawal had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of filing the report.
The resignation of the eight lawmakers leaves the Zamfara APC facing fresh questions over internal cohesion, governance and its ability to retain political control as the 2027 electoral contest draws closer.
