The Kwara State House of Assembly has suspended a member representing Edu State Constituency, Saba Gideon, for three months over what it described as contempt of the House and a breach of legislative privilege.
The decision followed allegations that Gideon secretly recorded a closed-door meeting of the Assembly and shared the audio with an unauthorised individual. Lawmakers disclosed during Thursday’s plenary that the legislator admitted to the act when the issue was raised on the floor.
The motion for his suspension was moved without prior notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, who relied on the House Rules on Privileges and relevant sections of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.
Magaji told the House that the action was serious enough to endanger the integrity of the Assembly, noting that sensitive internal discussions were unlawfully exposed to the public.
Several lawmakers spoke in support of the motion, agreeing that the act undermined the dignity and confidentiality of legislative proceedings.
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While delivering the resolution, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, said the unauthorised recording and circulation of the meeting was capable of bringing the Assembly into disrepute.
He ruled that Gideon’s conduct amounted to contempt and a clear violation of the House’s privileges.
In addition to the suspension, the Assembly directed the lawmaker to submit a written apology within the three-month suspension period. The suspension takes immediate effect.
