Governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and Hyacinth Alia of Benue State have raised constitutional concerns over an invitation by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, questioning its legality and relevance.
Naija News reports that the committee summoned both governors and their state assemblies to explain alleged constitutional violations, including suspensions of lawmakers, deepening insecurity, and legislative dysfunction. The lawmakers threatened to invoke Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to take over state assemblies in crisis.
The Zamfara governor’s media aide, Mustafa Kaura, said, “The National Assembly, whether Senate or the House of Representatives, cannot invite a governor on issues relating to his state.”
Kaura also wondered how the lawmakers who were currently on recess could hurriedly return to the National Assembly and invite the governor to appear before them.
“The honourable members are currently on recess, and I wonder if they have terminated their holidays and returned to Abuja just to see the two governors of Zamfara and Benue.
“Governor Lawal did not even receive the invitation letter and will not go to Abuja to waste his time,” he said.
In Benue, a top government source told The PUNCH that the legality of the National Assembly’s oversight over state matters was being studied by the Attorney General. Governor Alia’s camp said the invitation was yet to be formally received.
“This is a constitutional matter, and the government needs to find out if the National Assembly has oversight functions on the state government and its state assembly.
“I think the law will answer that, so the attorney general would soon respond to that,” the source said.
Suspensions and Factional Assemblies Spark Controversy
In Benue, 13 lawmakers were suspended for opposing the governor’s suspension of Chief Judge Maurice Ikpambese. In Zamfara, a nine-member faction of the House claims legitimacy and continues to sit under a parallel speaker, Bashar Aliyu Gummi.
The lawmakers have asked Governor Lawal to present the 2025 budget to them, while the state’s official assembly disputes their authority.
The PDP in Benue and a faction of the APC loyal to SGF George Akume welcomed the House’s intervention. PDP spokesman Tim Nyior called the suspensions “legislative rascality,” while Daniel Ihomun of the Agada-led APC described the situation as a “rape of democracy.”
Ihomun said, “What the House of Representatives has done is to stop anarchy in the state.”
‘There’s No Basis for Takeover’ – Alia’s Camp
However, Governor Alia’s APC faction rejected the idea of a legislative takeover. James Orgunga, spokesperson for the caretaker committee, insisted that the assembly is functioning.
“It’s when the state assembly cannot carry out its function that the National Assembly takes over. That is not the case here,” he said.
Zamfara Gov, PDP Dismiss Invitation as Political
Zamfara PDP spokesman Halliru Andi said the House invitation is politically motivated and not binding on the governor.
“The committee must remember that governors are accountable to their state assemblies, not the National Assembly,” he said, blaming the Federal Government for the security crisis.
Andi said, “How do you expect a PDP government to end banditry in two years when APC couldn’t in 12?”
APC Defends Reps’ Summons
Countering that position, APC spokesman Yusuf Idris said the worsening insecurity and legislative conflict in Zamfara warranted federal intervention.
“The budget currently being implemented is illegal. Only 10 members were present during its presentation,” he said.
In a statement signed by Aliyu Kagara on behalf of the parallel assembly, the lawmakers vowed to continue sitting despite alleged threats.
“No amount of intimidation from the state government, including politically twisted courts, can derail us,” the statement said.
They alleged a plot to attack them and their families using political thugs and said they had alerted security agencies.