About six months after a former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Dare Kadiri, was removed, an Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta on Friday quashed the lawmaker’s impeachment and nullified his suspension.
Kadiri who represents the Ijebu-North II State Constituency alongside another lawmaker representing Remo North State Constituency, Solomon Oshowere, was suspended over allegations bordering on breach of the rights and privileges of the state legislature.
Describing it as unconstitutional, Justice O. A. Onafowokan of the High Court 3, Abeokuta judicial division, while delivering judgment in a suit brought before the court held that the lawmaker’s suspension was an “abuse of power and abuse of office by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, the House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House”.
The court further ordered that all emoluments due to the former deputy speaker be paid immediately by the state House of Assembly.
It was reported that the speaker had at a plenary said the lawmakers were suspended in line with the provisions of sections 14 and 15 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.
However, the House later pardoned and recalled Osho while Kadiri approached the court to challenge his suspension.
Meanwhile, there was a mild drama on Friday when Kadiri stormed the State Assembly Complex shortly after the court judgment.
It was gathered that Kadiri, in the company of some supporters, was accused of barging into the Office of the Clerk of the House, Deji Adeyemo.
He was however escorted out of the premises by some security agents.