The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State on Thursday berated Governor Dauda Lawal over the alleged illegal presentation of the state’s 2025 budget proposal to the State House of Assembly.
Journalists were barred from covering the presentation of the budget proposal at the Assembly Complex in Gusau earlier on Thursday.
A source within the Assembly complex alleged that the exclusion of journalists was intentional due to concerns over a lack of quorum among the lawmakers.
Out of the 24 Assembly members, only a handful reportedly attended the session, raising doubts about the legitimacy of the proceedings.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Yusuf Idris, the party urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate the alleged illegality by the governor.
Idris said: “The Zamfara APC chapter is calling on the state government and the state House of Assembly to immediately reverse the budget presentation.
“We call on the state government to apologise to the people of the state or to face legal action.
“We are appealing to the nation’s anti-corruption agencies especially the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the total abuse of financial regulations by the governor’s cabal to perpetuate illegality in our dear state.”
The APC chapter described the governor’s action as a disregard to the nation’s constitution as displayed during the presentation of the 2025 budget proposal.
Idris said, “The illegality that accompanied the budget presentation which was held at the State House of Assembly, today, Thursday.
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“The most embarrassing thing the state government has done not only against itself but to the entire people of the state.
“A state Annual Budget Proposal presentation event is usually done openly for the entire world to see, and know.
”This is also to possibly enable the public to comment or contribute to the way and manner public taxpayers’ money will be utilised by the government in the incoming year.”
The party also lamented that the state government, in collaboration with some security personnel, shielded everyone, especially the media, from covering the presentation.”
He lamented that it was by implication denying the public knowledge or access to the budget.’
He added: “The legislature had ahead of the presentation, decided to suspend nine out of the 24-member assembly.
”They were suspected of possibly challenging the document during and after the presentation so that the process would go unchallenged.
“This development was coupled with the refusal of the member representing Kaura Namoda to participate in the presentation as he left the Assembly.
“This is very unfortunate for the governor to present the budget proposal with less than two-thirds members who cannot constitutionally pass any bill.
“Even the 14 members that remained in the assembly were said to have dropped to eight according to one media source.”
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