Kwara Lawmaker suspended for recording closed-door Assembly session

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

The decision followed revelations that Gideon secretly recorded a closed-door session of the Assembly and shared the audio recording with an unauthorised individual.

During Thursday’s plenary, the issue was raised on the floor of the House, where the lawmaker reportedly admitted to the act.

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,” Magaji said.

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

Several lawmakers contributed to the debate on the floor, including Ganiyu Salaudeen (Omupo), 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 and circulation of the audio from a closed session was capable of bringing the legislative institution into disrepute.

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

The Assembly directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology within the three-month suspension period. The suspension takes immediate effect.