Ogun Assembly Suspends Ex-Deputy Speaker, One Other Member Indefinitely

The Ogun State House of Assembly has suspended two of its members, Dare Kadiri and Solomon Osho, until further notice.

While Kadiri is a former deputy speaker of the house and member representing Ijebu North II State Constituency, Osho represents Remo North State Constituency.

They were suspended for an alleged breach of the provision of the Legislative Houses (Power and Privileged) Act 2017.

The suspension of the duo followed the adoption of a resolution by lawmakers during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, at the Assembly Complex in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.

“Order 6, Rule 19 (2) says that whereof a matter of privilege arises, it shall be taken into consideration immediately; in the note of that, I want to say that I received a resolution by the appropriate number of members of this House raising issue of privileges, and it reads thus;

“Resolution 131/ OG/ 2022 – suspension of some honourable members for the breach of the provision of the Legislative House (Power and Privileges) Act, 2017,” he said.

According to the speaker, the suspended lawmakers were found guilty of severally and contentiously breaching the rights and privileges of the Ogun State House of Assembly and its leadership, through the violation of the provisions of Section 17 of Legislative Houses (Power and Privileges) Act, 2017.

“The following honourable members, Hon. Oluwadamilare Kadiri (Ijebu North II State Constituency) and Solomon Osho (Remo North Constituency) are hereby suspended from the House and its activities forthwith until further notice, in line with the provisions of Sections 14 and 15 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017,” he affirmed.

“Since this has been signed by the appropriate number of people, it requires no vote or anything; so they stand suspended.”

In his response, Osho said the due procedure was not followed in the suspension process, saying he was not given any fair hearing.

“I didn’t commit any offence. I don’t consider the suspension as anything tangible. No due process was followed, I was not given a fair hearing,” he said.

“The Speaker just came and announced that two honourable members are being suspended until further notice without reading out the charges or the offences committed.”

Asked if he would seek legal redress, the suspended lawmaker answered in the affirmative.

Osho said, “I know what to do. Basically, what they are saying is that the former deputy speaker wrote a petition against him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); so, he (the speaker) is trying to fight back. Just like they say, ‘when you fight corruption, corruption fights back.’

“But what is happening is between him and former deputy speaker; it has got nothing to do with me. There was no time either publicly or privately that I supported anyone. I have the right to hold the speaker accountable and to be transparent to me, which I’ve not even demanded.”

“Since he came back from the EFCC, this is the first time we are having our official sitting and there was no meeting at all to allow me to ask questions. No committee was set up to probe me, where is that done anywhere in the world?” he queried.

(ChannelsTV)