Kwara Assembly suspends lawmaker over secret recording of closed-door meeting

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

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

During Thursday’s plenary session, the issue was raised on the floor of the House, and Gideon was said to have admitted to the act.

The motion for his suspension was moved without prior notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji. He cited Order 4, Rule 14 of the House rules on privileges, as well as Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, as the legal basis for the action.

“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.

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

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

Reading the resolution, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, the speaker, said the unauthorised recording and circulation of the meeting’s audio 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 directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology within the three-month suspension period. The suspension takes immediate effect.

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