Kwara Assembly suspends lawmaker for secretly recording closed-door meeting

The Kwara State House of Assembly has suspended Saba Gideon, who represents Edu State Constituency, for three months over alleged contempt of the House and breach of legislative privilege.

The suspension followed revelations that the lawmaker secretly recorded a closed-door meeting of the Assembly and shared the audio with an unauthorised person.

During plenary on Thursday, lawmakers said Gideon admitted to the act when the matter was raised on the floor of the House.

The motion for his suspension was moved without notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, who cited Order 4, Rule 14 of the House Rules on Privileges and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.

“I want to call the attention of this honourable House to an urgent matter in line with Order 4, Rule 14 of this honourable House on rules and privileges.

“Hon. Saba did something that can put this honourable House in jeopardy by sending sensitive information about its activities to the public,” he said.

Several lawmakers contributed to the debate, including Ganiyu Salaudeen (Omupo), Hon. Musa Kareem (Patigi), Owolabi Rasaq (Shaare/Oke-Ode), Abdullahi Danbaba (Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe), and Oniboki Yunusa (Afon).

Reading the resolution of the House, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, said the unauthorised recording of the meeting and circulation was capable of bringing the legislative institution into disrepute.

“Hon. Gideon’s conduct amounted to contempt and a breach of privilege,” the Speaker said.

The Assembly further directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology to the House within the three-month suspension period.

The suspension takes immediate effect.(Punch)