Falana: Courts have reinstated all lawmakers suspended by NASS, state assemblies in the past 15 years

TRIBUNE

A report put together by civil rights leader, Femi Falana has shown judicial victory without an exception for lawmakers suspended by either the National Assembly or its state counterpart.

Presenting the detailed report in a statement on Sunday, the Senior Advocate, advocated a permanent stop to the act of suspending lawmakers which numerous courts of record have ruled illegal and unconstitutional.

He cited about 11 precedents involving high and court of appeal decisions, dating back to 2010 when the leadership of House of Representatives suspended Dino Melaye and 10 others.

The intervention by the senior lawyer was propelled by the ongoing imbroglio in the Senate over the suspension of Kogi senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the leadership of Godswill Akpabio.

The female lawmaker claimed she was targeted for retribution for rebuffing s3xual advances of the Senate President.

Mr. Akpabio vehemently denied the accusation.

The report titled “How the courts stopped illegal suspension of legislators in Nigeria reads; “In 2010, our law firm handled the case of Honourable Dino Melaye & 10 other legislators who were suspended for accusing the Dimeji Bankole-led House of Representative of wallowing in corruption The Federal High Court declared the suspension of the legislators illegal and unconstitutional and ordered the payment of their withheld salaries and allowances.

‘In 2012, our law firm also handled the case of Honourable Rifkatu Danna, the only female member of the 31-member Bauchi State House of Assembly. Danna was suspended in June 2012 for allegedly making uncomplimentary remarks when she challenged the lawmakers’ decision to approve the relocation of the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. But the Bauchi State High Court declared her suspension illegal and ordered the Bauchi State House of Assembly to reinstate her and pay her withheld salaries and allowances.

“In 2017, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal filed against the judgment of the Bauchi State High Court in respect of the illegal suspension of Honourable Rifkatu Danna. The Court upheld our submission to the effect that the suspension of the legislator constituted a breach of the right of the Bogoro Constutuency to be representated by her in the state house of assembly. The Court equally held that the decision of the House to withhold the salaries and allowances of the legislator was illegal as she was not an employee but an elected member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.

“In 2018, our law firm equally handled the case of Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the House of Representatives who was suspended for 180 days for accusing the Yakubu Dogara-led House of padding the 2016 national budget. The Federal High Court nullified the suspension and ordered the payment of the withheld salaries and allowances of the legislator…