The United Democratic Coalition (UDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara, citing worsening insecurity and a breakdown of democratic order in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The demand was contained in a statement on Friday signed by Abdulrahman Danladi, president of the coalition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Danladi described Zamfara as \u201ca state under siege,\u201d accusing the state government of abandoning its constitutional duty to protect lives and uphold democratic principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe situation in Zamfara has gone from troubling to terrifying. Armed groups operate freely, citizens are at the mercy of bandits, and yet those elected to speak up are being silenced,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was referring to the recent suspension of 10 lawmakers in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, whom he said were punished for raising concerns about insecurity and illegal mining in their constituencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we are witnessing is not just lawlessness \u2014 it is executive tyranny. These lawmakers were elected by the people and have a duty to speak out. Instead of listening to them, the state assembly, clearly acting on orders, has shut them down,\u201d Danladi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He likened the political tension in Zamfara to the recent situation in Rivers state, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara governed with just four lawmakers after a split in the house of assembly \u2014 a scenario that prompted calls for federal intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf Rivers with four lawmakers sparked talks of emergency rule, how is Zamfara with 10 suspended lawmakers and spiralling violence not a national concern?\u201d Danladi asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe same standard must apply. Democracy is being murdered in Zamfara in broad daylight. If the federal government could consider intervening in Rivers, it must not turn a blind eye to the breakdown in Zamfara.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are calling for a six-month state of emergency in Zamfara to allow security forces take control, restore peace, and return the state to constitutional order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group also demanded the immediate reinstatement of the suspended lawmakers and an investigation into what it called \u201cexecutive interference\u201d in the legislature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is not the time for political correctness. It is the time for leadership. The people of Zamfara are under siege \u2014 both by bandits and by those who should be protecting them,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zamfara, one of Nigeria\u2019s most troubled states, continues to face persistent attacks from armed groups, with thousands displaced and dozens killed in the past year alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The United Democratic Coalition (UDC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara, citing worsening insecurity and a breakdown of democratic order in the state. The demand was contained in a statement on Friday signed by Abdulrahman Danladi, president of the coalition. Danladi described Zamfara as \u201ca state…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t