Supreme Court Reinstates Suspended Kogi Lawmaker

By  Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

The Supreme Court of Nigeria, yesterday, ordered the immediate payment of all salaries, and allowance of the member representing Igalamela Odolu State Constituency, Hon. Friday Sanni Makama.

The Kogi State Assembly  had on Tuesday 28th March, 2017 suspended the lawmaker on matters relating to anti-legislative activities.

This followed a matter of public importance in the House raised by Hassan Abdullahi Bello of Ajaokuta Constituency, who accused Makama of bringing the image of the House to public disrepute.

The lawmaker had dragged the Assembly to court for allegedly defying the House rules on election of Minority Leader and his subsequent suspension.

The apex court in its ruling yesterday ordered his reinstatement back into the House and also awarded one million naira each to all the parties involved in the matter.

It could be recalled that,  a similar judgement was given in favour of the Kogi lawmaker as a Kogi High Court sitting in Lokoja on June 29th 2017 set aside the suspension of Friday Sani Makama by the state House of Assembly.

Justice Henry Olusuyi in his judgment delivered in Lokoja, described the suspension of the lawmaker as an act of legislative insolence which would not be allowed by any competent court of jurisdiction.

The court maintained that the March 28 suspension of the lawmaker following which he approached the court to seek redress was “invalid, illegal and unconstitutional”.

Olusuyi held that the claimant had the right to sue the first defendant (Kogi House of Assembly) if he felt the legislature unjustly suspended him.

He noted that a member could however be suspended when found wanting under the provisions of the House Rules 37 to 39, which according to him, is not related to the case in view.

The judge therefore ordered that the rights and privileges as well as entitlements of the claimant as a member of the House be given to him.

Olusuyi however held that the House or the party had the preserve to appoint principal officers of the Assembly, especially that of the minority leader.