2026 Budget: APC accuses Zamfara Govt. for allegedly promoting illegality

By Ishaq Zaki

The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Zamfara Government for allegedly promoting illegality in governance in the presentation of the 2026 budget proposal of the state by Gov. Dauda Lawal.

The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Malam Yusuf Idris, stated this in a statement he issued in Gusau on Thursday. Dauda Lawal had presented the sum of N861 billion as the budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year.

During the presentation at the state House of Assembly Chamber in Gusau on Thursday, Lawal said N715 billion was for the capital expenditure, representing 83 per cent of the budget. Similarly, the Governor said the sum of N17.2 billion, representing B17 billion was for recurrent expenditure.

Idris while reacting to the 202 budget proposal said that the state government’s action as regards to the budget presentation was the “promotion of illegality in governance.

“We wish to draw the attention of the people of the state and the Federal Government to the illegalities being perpetually perpetrated by the state government led by Lawal and leadership of the house. This is regarding the annual appropriation bill, internal revenue generation and expenditure on public resources. Gov. Lawal has just presented his third appropriation bill of over N861 billion to a supposed assembly, which is full of flaws for deliberations when it woefully failed in the dispensation of last year’s budget, which was also presented in a suspicious, unconstitutional and illegal manner,” he said.

“Like in 2024, the 2025 budget proposal was presented to less than two third of the 24-member house. This is in gross violation of the nation’s constitution which requires a two third majority on issues bordering budget, impeachment and other related matters. Since the abnormality was not challenged by all but the opposition APC, the governor took it for granted by repeating the same violation today,” he added.

According to Idris, planning ahead of the illegalities, the executive, in collaboration with the legislature made sure it suspended all the lawmakers across party line that they suspected could raise eye brows challenging the budget.

”This is a situation which trimmed the membership to just 10 members to receive the Governor and his bill. Therefore, we are calling on the Federal Government to suspend federal allocation as a first step to the state until the right thing is done,” he added.

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