The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has deepened, with eight serving members of the State House of Assembly resigning their membership of the party.
The lawmakers announced their resignation on Sunday, October 4, 2026, citing worsening insecurity, alleged injustice and concerns over the welfare of their constituents.
Their exit came shortly after scores of APC members led by Hajiya Hadiza Liman defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alleging unfair treatment by party leaders in the state.
The lawmakers who resigned are Aliyu Ango Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, representing Bakura; Faruk Musa Dosara, representing Maradun I; Bashir Abubakar Masama, representing Bukkuyum North; Muktaru Nasiru Kaura, representing Kaura North; Nasiru Abdullahi, representing Maru North; Bashar Bello, representing Bungudu West; and Bashar Aliyu, representing Gummi I.
In their resignation statements, the lawmakers said they could no longer remain in a party which, in their view, had failed to adequately address the security challenges confronting the people of Zamfara.
Their decision also comes against the backdrop of longstanding disagreements involving some of the lawmakers and the state political leadership. The lawmakers had previously been suspended from the Assembly after a dispute over the leadership of the House. The Speaker, Bilyaminu Moriki, said the lawmakers were suspended in February 2024 over allegations including gross misconduct, conspiracy and convening an unauthorised sitting.
One of the lawmakers, Aliyu Ango Kagara, said their earlier disagreement with the state government was linked to concerns over insecurity.
“Because of the lack of security and lack of concern for the people of Zamfara, we raised the issue in the House, which did not go down well with the governor. That was why we had issues with him, which led to our suspension and later defection to the APC,” Kagara said.
Kagara further alleged that joining the APC did not resolve the grievances of the lawmakers, claiming that some party leaders conspired against them and denied them a fair hearing.
The development has intensified political realignments in Zamfara ahead of the 2027 general elections, with internal disagreements within the APC continuing to generate defections and competing political movements.
The lawmakers had not initially disclosed their next political destination in the resignation statements. However, subsequent reports said nine lawmakers later announced their defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including some of those who had resigned from the APC.
The APC’s Zamfara State Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Danmadamin Birnin Magaji, said the party had not officially received the resignation letters at the time of his comment.
“We all saw it on social media platforms, but whenever we receive the copies officially, we will communicate with you on our stand,” he said.
