The Kwara State House of Assembly has suspended a lawmaker, Saba Gideon, who represents Edu State Constituency, for three months over alleged contempt of the House and breach of legislative privilege.
It was learnt that the suspension followed revelations that Gideon secretly recorded a closed-door meeting of the Assembly and shared the audio with an unauthorised person.
During plenary on Thursday, lawmakers said the legislator admitted to the act when the matter was raised on the floor of the House, according to The Punch.
The motion for his suspension was moved without prior notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, who cited Order 4, Rule 14 of the House Rules on Privileges and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.
“I want to call the attention of this honourable House to an urgent matter in line with Order 4, Rule 14 of this honourable House on rules and privileges,” Magaji said.
“Hon. Saba did something that can put this honourable House in jeopardy by sending sensitive information about its activities to the public.”
Hon. Ganiyu Salaudeen (Omupo), Musa Kareem (Patigi), Owolabi Rasaq (Shaare/Oke-Ode), Abdullahi Danbaba (Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe), and Oniboki Yunusa (Afon), all of whom condemned the action, and several lawmakers contributed to the debate.
Reading the resolution of the House, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, said the unauthorised recording and circulation of the meeting was capable of bringing the legislative institution into disrepute.
“Hon. Gideon’s conduct amounted to contempt and a breach of privilege,” the Speaker said.
The Assembly also directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology to the House within the three-month suspension period.
Meanwhile, the suspension takes immediate effect.
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