OMO-AGEGE: Senate succumbs… for now

The Senate leadership has taken a temporary position on the court ruling over the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Omo-Agege was suspended for 90 legislative days, but a High Court in Abuja nullified action by the Senate, which it said was illegal.

According to the court, the legislature has the right to discipline lawmakers, but can not suspend any one of them for more than 14 days.

It therefore directed the upper chamber to pay Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central all his allowances and emulemts for the period under review.

The Senate however in a quick reaction filed an appeal, and applied for a stay of execution order on the High Court ruling, which led to some form of tension, as Omo-Agege insisted that he would attend plenary on Tuesday.

Read also: ‘New PDP’ faction backs Buhari, APC

Recall that while under suspension, Omo-Agege stormed the red chamber in company of some of his supporters, who later made away with the mace, stirring speculations about his involvement in the ignoble act.

Sen. Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, on Monday, however said the leadership of the Senate had decided to let sleeping dogs lie, for now, by waiting for the outcome of its appeal against the High court judgment.

It said Omo-Agege can resume at his office, and could attend plenary while the legal battle plays out.

According to him, “The Senate leadership has been briefed by our lawyers on last Thursday’s judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on whether the Senate has the legal authority to suspend a member for certain misconduct or not.

“We have equally filed an appeal against the judgement of the court and a motion for stay of execution of the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

“As an institution that obeys the law and court orders, the Senate has decided that it will comply with the judgement of the Federal High Court and do nothing to stop Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from resuming in his office and at plenary from tomorrow (today) May 15, 2018, pending the determination of the application for stay of execution.

“The Senate has been advised that since the motion for stay of execution of the Thursday (May 10, 2018) judgement shall be heard and possibly determined on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, we shall therefore respect the subsisting High Court judgement and await the appellate court’s decision on the pending motion”.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now