Saba Gideon, a suspended member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing the Edu Constituency, has publicly condemned his suspension, labeling it illegal, unconstitutional, and a violation of his constituents’ rights. During a press conference in Ilorin, Gideon firmly rejected the allegations that he secretly recorded Assembly proceedings.
“I never recorded any House proceedings at any time,” he asserted. Gideon emphasized that suspending an elected official undermines the constitutional right to representation, arguing that such actions lack legal justification.
He pointed out that a legislative body cannot arbitrarily or indefinitely suspend a member, as this would deprive constituents of their guaranteed representation under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. Gideon affirmed, “My mandate comes from the people of Edu, not from the House leadership.”
The lawmaker further criticized the withholding of his salaries and allowances, insisting that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, not the House, governs this aspect. He referred to the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which limits suspensions for contempt to a maximum of 48 hours, and claimed that anything beyond this is unlawful.
Gideon also questioned the procedures leading to his suspension, asserting that due process was not followed. He insisted that any disciplinary measures must be based on a public vote after a proper motion, which he claimed was neglected in his case.
He cautioned that arbitrary suspensions could weaken democratic institutions and stressed the importance of adhering to constitutional limits in legislative discipline. Gideon vowed to pursue all legal avenues to reclaim his mandate and reiterated that his fight is not personal, but rather about upholding the rights of his constituents.
The Kwara State House of Assembly had suspended Gideon for three months over alleged misconduct, accusing him of secretly recording a closed-door meeting and disclosing the audio to unauthorized individuals.
