Supreme Court
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.
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