The Concerned Citizens Network for Democracy (CCND) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly, demanding the immediate reinstatement of all suspended lawmakers or face legal action aimed at halting monthly federal allocations to the two states.
In a statement released in Abuja and signed by its Secretary-General, Moses Adamu, the group accused the state governments of facilitating a constitutional breach by allowing their Houses of Assembly to operate without the legally required quorum. According to CCND, this undermines the legitimacy of legislative actions, including budget approvals and oversight functions.
“This is not merely a local legislative issue. It represents a clear subversion of democratic norms, with governors and speakers allegedly sidelining duly elected lawmakers to consolidate control,” Adamu stated. “Such acts amount to a violation of the constitution and a betrayal of democratic principles.”
The group argued that the suspension of nearly half of the lawmakers in both assemblies has left the legislatures without the constitutionally mandated two-thirds quorum, rendering any decisions or laws passed by the remaining members invalid.
“A House of Assembly cannot function lawfully without a legal quorum,” Adamu emphasized. “When the majority of elected representatives are suspended without due process, any subsequent legislative activity becomes constitutionally defective.”
CCND further alleged that the suspended lawmakers are predominantly critics of the respective state executives and were removed after raising concerns over security, budget transparency, and project implementation. The group described the suspensions as politically motivated and aimed at silencing dissent.
“This is not about misconduct, as claimed by the House leaderships. It is about eliminating opposition and facilitating unchecked executive power,” the statement added. “This is authoritarianism masquerading as democracy.”
Highlighting the implications of the ongoing crisis, CCND warned that state governors Hyacinth Alia (Benue) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) are currently governing without lawful legislative oversight, which compromises the legitimacy of executive actions and public expenditure.
“Governors are not monarchs. They are accountable to the people through institutions, one of which is the legislature. Operating without a valid assembly removes the legal and moral backing from executive decisions,” Adamu said.
The group called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation to suspend further disbursement of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds to the two states until constitutional order is restored.
“By continuing to release public funds to governments operating outside constitutional frameworks, federal institutions risk complicity in this illegality,” the group stated. “This is akin to funding a private company that has dismissed its board but still demands capital.”
CCND also reported that some suspended lawmakers in Benue had been denied access to the assembly complex and had their benefits withdrawn, allegedly without adherence to due process.
The group warned of the broader implications if the situation is not addressed swiftly, cautioning that failure to act may embolden other state executives to adopt similar tactics.
“If left unchecked, this could become a dangerous template—suspend dissenters, cripple the legislature, and continue to receive public funds. Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford such systemic erosion,” Adamu warned.
The CCND has given both state governments a three-day window to reverse the suspensions and restore legislative integrity. Should they fail to act, the group plans to approach the Federal High Court to seek a declaration invalidating the current assemblies and an injunction to freeze statutory allocations until lawful legislative order is reinstated.
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