CBN and Attorney General Face Calls to Suspend Funds to Zamfara, Benue Over Assembly Tensions

 The Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, are under pressure to halt federal and state allocations to Zamfara and Benue States due to ongoing crises in their state assemblies, as reported on May 31, 2025.

In Zamfara, a factional dispute within the House of Assembly led to the suspension of 16 lawmakers loyal to Governor Dauda Lawal, accused of undermining security efforts against banditry. The suspended legislators, led by Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail, declared the governor’s 2025 budget “illegal,” prompting calls from APC stakeholders to withhold funds until order is restored. The crisis, escalating with protests in Gusau, threatens governance, as only nine of 24 lawmakers remain active, violating constitutional quorum requirements.

In Benue, the assembly’s leadership split after 20 PDP-aligned members aligned with Governor Hyacinth Alia, suspending seven APC lawmakers for “disruptive conduct” over a 2024 supplementary budget dispute. The APC faction, operating from Makurdi’s Government House, demanded Alia’s impeachment, leading to violent clashes and 15 arrests.

Civil society groups, citing Section 401 of the 1999 Constitution, argue that dysfunctional assemblies justify freezing funds to prevent mismanagement. The CBN, under Governor Olayemi Cardoso, and the AGF are reviewing legal options, with precedents like the 2019 Rivers State fund suspension. Both states, heavily reliant on federal allocations (Zamfara: 65%, Benue: 52%), face service disruptions if funds are withheld, prompting urgent calls for federal mediation to resolve the crises and ensure accountability.