Eight members of Zamfara ilState House of Assembly who recently resigned from All Progressives Congress (APC) have agreed to return to the ruling party following a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that fhe lawmakers were led to the meeting by Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence and former governor of Zamfara State, according to a statement issued on Monday by Ahmad Dan-Wudil, Matawalle’s media aide.
During the meeting, the legislators reportedly reaffirmed their loyalty to Tinubu and their commitment to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dan-Wudil said Matawalle had pledged to integrate the lawmakers into the Tinubu Again Movement to enable them to work collectively for the president and other APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The lawmakers are Aliyu Kagara, representing Talata Mafara South; Ibrahim Bakura, representing Bakura; Faruk Dosara, representing Maradun I; Bashir Masama, representing Bukkuyum North; Muktaru Kaura, representing Kaura North; Nasiru Abdullahi, representing Maru North; Bashar Bello, representing Bungudu West; and Bashar Aliyu, representing Gummi I.
Their decision to return to the APC comes about two weeks after they announced their resignation from the party, citing worsening insecurity, alleged injustice and unpaid salaries and allowances.
In a statement announcing their departure on October 4, the lawmakers said they could no longer remain in a party they accused of failing to adequately address the security challenges confronting residents of the state.
Kagara had alleged that the lawmakers had gone 32 months without receiving their salaries, allowances and other entitlements.
He also criticised the handling of insecurity in rural communities, saying their constituents were not receiving adequate attention despite electing them to represent their interests.
The lawmakers’ exit raised the possibility of their joining African Democratic Congress (ADC), with reports indicating that they were considering an alternative political platform.
However, their meeting with Tinubu appears to have changed that direction, with the legislators now expressing renewed support for the APC.
The development comes amid a prolonged dispute between the lawmakers and the leadership of the Zamfara State House of Assembly.
Bilyaminu Moriki, speaker of the assembly, had said the legislators were suspended on February 26, 2024, over allegations of gross misconduct, conspiracy, mischief, contempt of the House and convening an unauthorised sitting in violation of the assembly’s standing orders.
Moriki also disclosed that the assembly extended their suspension on May 13, 2026, for another legislative session because the disciplinary issues remained unresolved.
He maintained that their suspension predated their resignation from APC and was unrelated to their recent political decisions.
The speaker had further alleged that the lawmakers were involved in an attempt to disrupt the assembly’s proceedings, while a criminal complaint was reportedly filed against them over the alleged misconduct.
The lawmakers, however, have linked their grievances to insecurity and what they described as unfair treatment within the political structure.
The latest meeting with Tinubu represents a fresh effort to reconcile the legislators with the ruling party as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
It remains unclear whether the reported agreement to return to APC will lead to the resolution of the outstanding issues surrounding their suspension from the assembly.
The meeting also comes against the backdrop of political divisions within the Zamfara APC, involving key figures, including Matawalle and former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari.
