Nigeria’s northwestern state, Zamfara, has a history dating back to the 11th century with the establishment of the Zamfara Kingdom.
This state, known for its dense population of Hausa people, is also the first in Nigeria to implement Sharia law. But who currently represents Zamfara in Nigeria’s Senate?
This guide looks at the senators representing Zamfara North, Zamfara Central, and Zamfara West which Include their backgrounds and political affiliations with a brief biography of each senator. So, If you’re interested in learning more about Zamfara’s current Senate delegation, this is the resource for you.
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List Of Current Senators Representing Zamfara State
Name | Constituency | Term | Gender | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ya'U Sahabi Alhaji | Zamfara North | 2007 - Present | Male | APC |
Ikira Aliyu Bilbis | Zamfara Central | 2023 - Present | Male | PDP |
Abubakar Abdul'Aziz Yari | Zamfara West | 2023 - Present | Male | APC |
1. Ya’U Sahabi Alhaji
Sahabi Alhaji Yaú is a Nigerian politician currently representing Zamfara North district in the Nigerian Senate. He was born on July 16, 1956, and is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In 2007, he was elected as a Senator under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to begin his political career. During his time in the Senate, he served on various committees including Downstream Petroleum, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Public Accounts, and State & Local Government.
Despite his initial party affiliation with ANPP, Yaú showed his loyalty to Governor Alhaji Mamuda Aliyu Shinkafi when the governor switched allegiance to the PDP.
Yaú has been vocal in his support for President Umaru Yar’Adua and has emphasized the importance of thorough consideration before making decisions concerning Nigeria.
In 2011, Yaú ran for re-election, this time under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and won with 118,056 votes.
Throughout his political career, Yaú has been focused on issues concerning the development of Zamfara North district and ensuring that funds allocated for local projects are used appropriately.
He has been an active member of the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Constitution Review, advocating for greater independence in budget allocations for the third tier of government in Nigeria.
2. Ikira Aliyu Bilbis
Currently, Ikira Aliyu Bilbis serves as a senator representing Zamfara North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He secured victory in the 10th Assembly elections for Zamfara in 2024.
Sen. Aliyu held the position of Minister of State for Information and Communication during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, from 2011 to 2015.
He was a member of the PDP, but he later switched to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after the PDP’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
However, in 2022, he returned to the PDP. In 2023, Sen. Aliyu Bilbis contested and won the Zamfara Central District election under the PDP banner.
His victory marked the defeat of his APC counterpart, Garba Marafa, who had represented the district from 2011 to 2019.
However, Sen. Aliyu Bilbis faced legal troubles in December 2022 when he was arrested by the police in Zamfara State.
He was arraigned before the Zamfara State Upper Sharia Court II for allegedly destroying APC campaign billboards and other properties. Following this, he was remanded in prison for approximately two weeks before being granted bail.
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3. Abubakar Abdul’Aziz Yari
Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari is the current senator representing Zamfara State’s West Senatorial District. He assumed office on June 13, 2023, succeeding Lawali Hassan Anka. Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari was born on January 28, 1968, in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, Nigeria.
He had his primary education at Talata Mafara Township Primary School and furthered his studies at Government Teacher’s College in Bakura.
Afterward, he attended Sokoto Polytechnic and Kebbi Polytechnic, where he pursued diplomas and certificates in Secretarial Studies and Public Administration, respectively.
To start his political career In 1999, he served as the Secretary of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). Then he became the Chairman of ANPP Zamfara State and rose to the position of ANPP National Financial Secretary.
In 2007, he was elected as a Member representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency until 2011. During his tenure as Governor, Yari faced allegations of corruption. Investigations revealed suspicious spending on incomplete projects and missing government vehicles.
His successor, Bello Matawalle, initiated probes into alleged financial misconduct, leading to further accusations of misappropriation of funds. Despite these controversies, Yari successfully won the Zamfara West senate seat in the 2019 elections.
However, his victory with other APC candidates in Zamfara State was rejected by the Supreme Court due to irregularities in the party primaries. Yari currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources.
Nevertheless, he continues to face scrutiny and legal challenges regarding corruption allegations, including investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).