On Friday, an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta declared the suspension of a former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dare Kadiri, unconstitutional. The presiding Judge, Justice O. A. Onafowokan of the High Court 3, Abeokuta Judicial division, further stated that the suspension was an abuse of power and office by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, the House of Assembly, and the Clerk of the House.
The ruling followed a lawsuit brought before the court by Kadiri challenging his suspension alongside Solomon Osho, representing Remo North State Constituency.
The court also directed the state House of Assembly to immediately pay all the emoluments due to the lawmaker, who represents Ijebu North II State Constituency. It would be recalled that the House suspended Kadiri and Osho in September 2022 over allegations of breaching the rights and privileges of the state legislature.
The lawmakers were suspended during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The House had claimed that the suspension was in line with the provisions of sections 14 and 15 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017. During the session, the Speaker asserted that the document containing the suspension of the lawmakers had been signed by the appropriate number of colleague lawmakers, hence requiring no further procedure before implementation.
Nevertheless, the House later recalled and pardoned Osho, while Kadiri approached the court to challenge his suspension. The court’s ruling now voids Kadiri’s suspension and paves the way for his immediate reinstatement as a member of the State House of Assembly.
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