Suspended Lawmakers Accuse Govt Of Withholding Salaries.

Nine suspended members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have again alleged that the state government and Assembly leadership have withheld their salaries and allowances for nearly two years since their suspension.

The lawmakers made the claim in an interview with DW Hausa on Tuesday, stating that they were suspended on 27 February 2024 after they raised concerns about insecurity affecting people in their constituencies.

One of them, Bashir Abubakar, who represents Bukkuyum North Constituency, stated that the affected members were singled out after speaking about the security issues troubling their communities.

“We raised issues of insecurity affecting our people, and shortly after, nine of us were suspended,” he said.

They also alleged that after their suspension, efforts were made to arrest them, claiming that security agencies were deployed against them.

Reacting to the allegations, the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Moriki, denied the accusations, insisting that the lawmakers were suspended for breaching legislative procedures and not for speaking on security matters.

According to him, the suspended members allegedly locked the Assembly chamber and held an unauthorised sitting while principal officers were still inside the complex.

“No lawmaker has the right to lock the chamber against other members. The Assembly acted in line with established laws and procedures,” the Speaker said.

On the matter of salaries, the suspended lawmakers accused the Assembly of acting illegally and sharing their entitlements among serving members. Aliyu Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South Constituency, said their pay had been withheld for 22 months.

He further alleged that budgets were being passed without the constitutionally required quorum, pointing out that although the Assembly has 24 members, sittings have continued with only 15 lawmakers.

The Speaker, however, maintained that lawmakers on suspension are not entitled to salaries or allowances and stressed that all actions taken by the Assembly were lawful.

The lawmakers confirmed that the issue is already before the court, but accused the government and Assembly leadership of attempting to frustrate the legal process — an allegation the Speaker rejected.

Moriki disclosed that talks had been held over the possibility of recalling the suspended members, adding that Governor Dauda Lawal agreed to their reinstatement on the condition that they submit a letter of apology to the Assembly — a condition the lawmakers reportedly declined.