Eight members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing worsening insecurity, alleged injustice and other concerns affecting the welfare of their constituents.

The lawmakers, among them allies of former Governor Abdul’aziz, announced their decision in a statement, accusing the party of failing to adequately address the security challenges confronting the state.

They expressed dissatisfaction with the worsening security situation, particularly in rural communities, where residents continue to face threats to their safety.

The lawmakers who resigned are Aliyu Ango Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, representing Bakura; Faruk Musa Dosara, representing Maradun I; and Bashir Abubakar Masama, representing Bukkuyum North.

Others are Muktaru Nasiru Kaura, representing Kaura North; Nasiru Abdullahi, representing Maru North; Bashar Bello, representing Bungudu West; and Bashar Aliyu, representing Gummi I.

Their departure comes amid ongoing internal disagreements and political realignments within the Zamfara APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmakers, however, did not immediately disclose the political party they intend to join.

Reacting to the development, the APC publicity secretary in Zamfara State, Ibrahim Danmadamin Birnin Magaji, said the party had yet to receive official notification of their resignations.

He explained that the lawmakers were expected to submit their resignation letters through their respective political wards and local government executives before the documents would be forwarded to the state party leadership.

“We all saw it on social media platforms, but whenever we receive the copies officially, we would communicate with you on our stand,” he said.

Danmadamin added that the party was not aware of the grievances cited by the lawmakers until it saw their resignation letters circulating online.

One of the lawmakers, Aliyu Ango Kagara, accused Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration of failing to adequately address the security concerns of rural communities.

He said the lawmakers had lost confidence in the APC’s ability to tackle the challenges facing their constituents, adding that previous agreements had allegedly not been honoured.

Kagara said the security situation had deteriorated despite their expectations that the government would take decisive action to protect residents.

“Our constituents in rural areas who voted us into power to address their security concerns were not being given any attention,” he said.

The lawmaker also alleged that the members had gone for 32 months without receiving their salaries, allowances and other entitlements.

He maintained that the situation had compounded their grievances and called on the people of the state to take an interest in developments affecting their elected representatives and the wider population.

Meanwhile, an APC official, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, said the lawmakers’ departure was not surprising, alleging that efforts to reconcile them with the governor had failed.

The official claimed that Governor Lawal had opted to work with other party members instead of addressing the disagreements with the lawmakers.

The governor had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

DAILY GAZETTE also reported that the lawmakers had been suspended from the party before their resignation over allegations that they attempted to impeach the Speaker of the State House of Assembly about a year ago.

The chairmanship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Hon. Robert Ezinwa, has reportedly escaped an attempted kidnap attack by armed men.

Ezinwa was said to have been returning from a campaign activity in Aguobu-Iwollo when the incident occurred on September 13, 2026.

Recounting the incident in an interview with DAILY GAZETTE, Ezinwa said he and members of his team came under attack from armed men who opened fire on their vehicle.

He said, “On September 13, at about 5:26 p.m., I was returning from Aguobu-Iwollo after concluding a campaign activity.

“As we got to the main road, we were suddenly attacked by armed men who opened fire on the vehicle we were in. By the grace of God, we were able to escape the attack.”

“Unfortunately, as we continued on our way, we encountered another group of armed men further ahead. They also opened fire on our vehicle, but thankfully, we managed to escape again.”

“The entire incident was extremely frightening and has left me traumatised since then. I am grateful to God for preserving my life and the lives of everyone who was with me, but the experience has continued to affect me emotionally.”

Ezinwa did not state whether any arrests had been made in connection with the incident or identify the assailants.

The Enugu State local government council election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has drawn a clear distinction between his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election and the political ambitions of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors ahead of the 2027 elections.

Wike said his commitment was to mobilise support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, stressing that he never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would abandon its candidates in governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

The former Rivers State governor made the clarification in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

Wike also dismissed suggestions that the so-called Rainbow Coalition was an APC platform, describing it instead as a cross-party initiative aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election.

According to him, he would not campaign to help APC governors secure victory in their respective states, insisting that political contests at the state level should be handled by the candidates and their supporters.

“Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” Wike said.

He recalled that neither he nor members of the G5 governors met with the APC before supporting Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, maintaining that his position for 2027 remained focused on the President.

Wike also took a swipe at Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma while questioning how the APC secured two senatorial seats in Imo during the 2023 elections despite the party recording less than 15 per cent of the presidential vote in the state.

He similarly cited the APC’s victories in National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu, where Tinubu reportedly secured less than 10 per cent of the presidential votes.

“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?” he asked.

The minister urged political stakeholders to prioritise Tinubu’s presidential re-election before turning their attention to contests for political offices at the state level.

“After the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our States,” he said.

Wike maintained that his role would be to rally support across political parties for Tinubu, rather than guarantee electoral victories for individual APC governors.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections,” he said.

He added that the Rainbow Coalition was designed to mobilise support across political parties for Tinubu and had no formal affiliation with the APC.

“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” Wike said.

The Executive Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, Hon. John Ogbodo, has declared the re-election of Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, in 2027 “non-negotiable,” citing the governor’s performance and development strides across the state.

Ogbodo made the declaration on Monday, while leading the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship and councillorship campaign train to Akpugo Ward 3 in continuation of the party’s grassroots mobilisation ahead of the September 26 local government elections.

Addressing party supporters who gathered to receive the campaign team, Ogbodo said the people of Enugu State would not abandon a governor whose administration, according to him, had demonstrated commitment to infrastructure, economic development and improved governance.

He urged the people of Nkanu West to sustain their support for the APC, describing the forthcoming local government election as an opportunity to consolidate the gains of ongoing development initiatives in the state.

“Governor Peter Mbah’s re-election in 2027 is non-negotiable,” Ogbodo declared, urging APC supporters to remain united and committed to the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The council chairman also appealed to residents to vote for APC candidates in the September 26 poll, saying effective local government administration would complement the development agenda of the state government.

He assured the people of Nkanu West that his administration would continue to prioritise grassroots development, inclusiveness and programmes capable of improving the welfare of residents.

The campaign team said its ward-to-ward mobilisation would continue across Nkanu West as the party intensifies efforts to secure victory in the September 26 local government elections.

Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Zamfara State, has formally inaugurated his campaign council ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship election.

The campaign flag-off, held at Freedom Square on Monday, attracted a large crowd of supporters who turned out to witness the commencement of the party’s campaign activities.

The event, originally scheduled for noon, was eventually held at about 8 pm, following what Marafa described as a massive reception from supporters and residents across the state.

Marafa, who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly from 2011 to 2019, said his ambition was driven by the desire to restore hope and improve the wellbeing of the people.

He pledged that, if elected governor, his administration would work closely with citizens and provide the necessary support to address the challenges confronting the state.

Marafa said his immediate objective was to “wipe away the tears” of Zamfara residents and restore what he described as the state’s glorious days.

The former senator said he would continue engaging communities across the state, promising to unveil more details of his policy agenda as the campaign progresses.

He expressed appreciation to the people for turning out in large numbers and apologised for the delay in commencing the inauguration.

Marafa explained that although he arrived in Zamfara early in the morning, the overwhelming reception from supporters disrupted his planned engagements and contributed to the late commencement of the event.