Don’t Use Judiciary To Witch-Hunt Lawmakers, Zamfara APC Warns Gov Lawal

The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration of using the judiciary to intimidate members of the state House of Assembly who formed a parallel legislative group.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the APC expressed concern over what it described as a deliberate effort by the state government to suppress the lawmakers through judicial means.

The party alleged that nine lawmakers were being targeted with arrest orders issued by Chief Magistrate 1, Halima Jaafar Mikaila, without any prior summons or formal charges.

“We, at the Zamfara State chapter of the APC, find it disturbing and embarrassing how the state government is using the judiciary to attack constitutionally elected members of the state House of Assembly, who are simply performing their legislative duties and highlighting areas where the executive is falling short in fulfilling its responsibilities to the public,” the statement read in part.

Despite the fact that the matter is already before the Court of Appeal in Sokoto, the APC claimed that the state government went ahead to involve a Magistrate Court to issue arrest orders for the lawmakers.

The statement further noted: “Despite our ongoing efforts, including petitions to the Inspector General of Police, Director General of the DSS, National Security Adviser, the National Assembly, and other stakeholders, the state government pressed ahead with seeking an arrest order for the lawmakers.

“We call on the state government under Governor Dauda Lawal to halt this harassment and engage the aggrieved members in dialogue to resolve the crisis peacefully,” the statement read.

The APC reiterated its commitment to the rule of law, warning against any attempts to politicise the judiciary. It also criticised the government for failing to tackle the state’s pressing security challenges, an issue that the lawmakers have persistently raised.

The party urged the lawmakers to petition the Judicial Service Commission over what it described as a politically motivated court order, warning that allowing such actions could undermine the judiciary’s credibility.

In a separate statement, the lawmakers operating under the parallel assembly, led by Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi, vowed to continue their duties in spite of the alleged intimidation.

Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara, who represents Talata-Mafara South Constituency, affirmed that the group would not be silenced by pressure from the state government.

“We, the members of the Zamfara State parallel House of Assembly, under the leadership of Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi, will continue to defend our legitimate rights as elected representatives of our constituents,” the statement read.

“No amount of intimidation from the state government, including the use of politically influenced courts or legal officers, will deter us from our mission,” they added.

Don’t Use Judiciary To Witch-Hunt Lawmakers, Zamfara APC Warns Gov Lawal is first published on The Whistler Newspaper