Breaking: Court invalidates Senate choice on suspension of Senator Omo-Agege

The choice of the Nigerian Senate to suspend Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for 90 authoritative days has been squashed by a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, May 10. In conveying the judgment, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, presented that the Senate did not hold fast to the due procedure of the law in suspending Omo-Agege for 90 days, The Sun reports.The Sun reports. Punch additionally reports that the judge decided that while the upper chamber had the power to discipline its erring members but the reason why the Delta Central Senator was suspended was illegal. 

The news outlet reports further that the judge claimed that based on the wordings of the report of the Senate’s Ethics and Privileges Committee which recommended Omo-Agege’s suspension, the senator was punished for filing a suit against the Senate after apologising to the legislative house over the allegation leveled against him. “Access to court is a fundamental right in the Constitution which cannot be taken away by force or intimidation from any organ,” the judge ruled. 

Going further, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba was said to have added that the decision to punish Omo-Agage for filing a suit against the Senate and for punishing him was an affront on the judiciary and even if the Senate was to punish him, it could only do it for a period of 14 days as prescribed in the Senate rules. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba was also said to have ruled the the principle of natural justice was breached because the Senate’s Ethics and Privileges Committee allowed Senator Dino Melaye, the complainant, to participate in the committee’s sitting that consider the issue. Consequently, Dimgba therefore nullified Omo-Agage’s suspension “with immediate effect” and ordered that the Omo-Agege be paid all his allowances and salaries for the period he was illegally suspended.

Report had revealed that the Senate had suspended Ovie Omo-Agege an All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator from Delta state, for 90 administrative days.

Report had additionally announced that the Urhobo individuals Delta state dragged the Senate before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, seeking for an order to stop the legislative body from denying the ethnic group representation by the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.