- Femi Falana (SAN) described the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by the Senate as illegal and unconstitutional
- Falana explained that no legislative house has the power to remove or suspend any of its member
- He maintained that it is only a court of law or the constituency that elected them can order the removal or suspension of their representative
A human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) has reacted to the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege by the Senate saying that no legislative house has the power to remove or suspend any of its member.
The Nation reports that Falana described the suspension as illegal and unconstitutional,
According to him, ''No legislative house can suspend or remove a member. It is only a court of law or the constituency that elected them can order the removal or suspension of their representative.
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''This is because when you remove or suspend a legislator, his constituency no longer has a representative in that house and that is not legal''
He recalled a case he handled involving a female lawmaker in the Bauchi House of Assembly who was suspended indefinitely over a statement she made on the floor of the house.
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He said the matter was fought up to the Court of Appeal which held that the legislative House had no such power.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the Senate has suspended Ovie Omo-Agege, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator from Delta state, for 90 legislative days.
The upper legislative chamber took the decision after it considered a report by its ethics committee.
The committee had recommended that the senator be suspended for 181 days but the senate reduced it after pleas from lawmakers. Omo-Agege was one of the senators who kicked against the election reordering bill.
Street gist: Should the Nigerian senate be scrapped? On NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng
