A suspended member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Saba Gideon, has faulted his three-month suspension, describing it as illegal, unconstitutional, and an attack on the rights of his constituents.
Gideon, who represents Edu State Constituency, spoke during a press conference in Ilorin on Saturday, where he denied claims that he secretly recorded proceedings of the House.
“I never recorded any House proceedings. At no time did I secretly or otherwise record deliberations of the Kwara State House of Assembly,” he said.
The lawmaker insisted that the suspension amounted to denying the people of Edu Constituency their constitutional right to representation.
“The law is settled that a legislative house cannot suspend a member indefinitely or arbitrarily because doing so deprives the people of representation, which is guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended,” Gideon said.
He explained that his mandate did not come from the leadership of the House but from the electorate.
“My mandate comes from the people of Edu, not from any individual or group within the Assembly,” he said.
Gideon also argued that the relationship between a legislator and the House was not that of an employer and employee, stressing that internal rules could not override the Constitution.
“No House rule or standing order can supersede the Constitution. Any rule that contradicts the Constitution is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency,” he added.
On the decision to stop his salaries and allowances, the suspended lawmaker said the House lacked the power to do so.
“The fixing and payment of salaries and allowances of legislators fall under the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, not the House of Assembly,” he said.
Citing existing laws, Gideon maintained that even where discipline was justified, the duration of his suspension was unlawful.
“The Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act limits suspension of a member for contempt to a maximum of 48 hours. Anything beyond that is illegal and unconstitutional,” he said.
He further questioned the procedure followed by the Assembly, alleging that due process was not observed before the suspension was approved.
“A House can only go into a closed-door session after a motion is moved, seconded and approved by members in an open sitting. No final decision or suspension can legally be taken in private without ratification at plenary,” Gideon said.
According to him, allegations of misconduct should have been investigated by the Ethics and Privileges Committee, with the accused given a fair hearing.
“There was no committee investigation, no fair hearing and no supermajority vote,” he alleged.
Gideon warned that arbitrary suspensions weaken democracy and damage public trust in legislative institutions.
“If we want to build strong institutions, we must respect the rule of law. Legislative independence does not mean constitutional recklessness,” he said.
He added that he would explore all lawful options to reclaim his seat.
“My fight is not personal. It is about defending the constitutional right of my people to be represented,” he said.
The Kwara State House of Assembly had earlier suspended Gideon for three months over alleged contempt and breach of legislative privilege.
Lawmakers accused him of secretly recording a closed-door meeting and sharing the audio with an unauthorised person, an allegation the Assembly said he admitted during plenary on Thursday, December 19, 2025.
The motion for his suspension was moved without notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, citing Order 4, Rule 14 of the House Rules on Privileges and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.
The Assembly also directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology within the suspension period, saying the alleged act was capable of bringing the House into disrepute.
