“We Cannot Be Intimidated Or Silenced”, Zamfara APC Suspended Lawmakers Tell Gov Lawal

By Suleiman Anyalewchi

The Zamfara State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, on Sunday, May 4, 2025, condemned in very strong terms what it described as an emerging plot to intimidate and silence opposition voices  by the Peoples Democratic Party-led administration in the State.

This is just as the factional State House of Assembly led by Hon Bashir Aliyu Gummi lamented the, alleged, new wave of “malicious persecution of opposition legislators by the Zamfara State Government.

The Source reports that Hon Gummi and eight other APC State Lawmakers were some months back slammed with an indefinite suspension by the PDP dominated House of Assembly.

They were accused of gross violations of extant rules and regulations guiding the activities of the legislative body.

But disenchanted by their prolonged political incarceration, the Lawmakers, penultimate week, inaugurated a parallel State House of Assembly with Hon Gummi as Speaker.

However, a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Gusau, the state capital, earlier last week, ordered the immediate arrest of the suspended Legislators.

But in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Yusuf Idris, the Zamfara APC on Sunday, accused Chief Magistrate Halima Jaafar Mikaila  of gross act of judicial misconduct

According to the APC, the Magistrate issued the arrest warrant ,without first putting the Lawmakers on notice of  the charges against them .

Besides, the party expressed deep concern that the order was issued without due consideration of the fact that the matter is already a subject of appeal at the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division.

“It is disturbing and embarrassing to see the judiciary being used as a tool to silence law makers who are pointing out issues of public concern.

“We call on Governor Dauda Lawal to end the harassment and engage aggrieved members in dialogue”, the APC stated .

Meanwhile, the Hon Gummi-led rebellious  Lawmakers have reaffirmed their claim as the authentic representatives of their people, insisting that no amount of harassment and threats can deter them from their quest for justice and fairness.

In a statement issued by their spokesperson Hon Aliyu Ango Kabara, the suspended legislators expressed their unwavering commitment towards asserting their mandate .

“We are committed to our mandate, and the people we represent. No amount of intimidation, including biased Court orders, or threats to our lives will stop us”, the suspended legislators noted.

While urging the State Judicial Service Commission, JSC, to urgently investigate the conduct of Chief Magistrate Mikaila, they also alerted to alleged plans to attack them and their families .