In the latest development from the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Shamsudeen Bosko, a representative of the Talata Mafara constituency, has clarified that the Speaker of the state Assembly, Bilyaminu Moriki, has not been impeached but is currently under suspension.
This clarification came amid widespread speculation regarding the Speaker’s status within the legislative body.
In an exclusive telephone interview with TVC News, Mr. Bosko explained that the House’s standing rules empower its members to appoint a Speaker Pro-Tempo to preside over sessions during the Speaker’s absence, pending the resolution of the ongoing crisis.
According to Bosko, this procedural action was taken in light of a dispute that led to the temporary shutdown of the Assembly by eighteen of its members, who currently possess the mace, a symbol of the Assembly’s authority.
The crisis leading to Moriki’s suspension, and the subsequent election of Bashar Gummi from the Gummi Constituency as Speaker Pro-Tempo, stems from a motion moved by Nasiru Abdullahi, a member representing the Maru constituency.
The motion highlighted the resurgence of insecurity in the state, marked by the return of bandit activities in communities and along highways, prompting discussions on the Speaker’s removal.
Bosko, serving his second term and recognized as one of the few but influential APC lawmakers in the Assembly, emphasized that the Speaker’s future—whether he returns to his position or faces formal impeachment—hinges on the outcome of forthcoming Assembly sittings and the resolution of the crisis.
The situation took a dramatic turn last Thursday when the Assembly was besieged by heavily armed security operatives, following the move by eighteen members to threaten impeachment proceedings against Speaker Moriki.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly, comprising twenty-four elected members from across the state’s fourteen local government councils, now faces a critical juncture as it navigates this internal conflict amidst broader security concerns in the state.
