Kwara Speaker, lawmakers under fire over suspension of only PDP member

By Ahmed Ajikobi
Gale of condemnations have continued to trail the suspension of the lone opposition lawmaker in the Kwara State, Hon. Jimoh Agboola, by the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Danladi.
Kwara Assembly had suspended Agboola representing Ilorin South Constituency over alleged contempt and abuse of privilege.
Reacting to his suspension, the Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker in an exclusive interview with National Pilot, alleged that the affairs of the House was being teleguided by external forces.
The lawmaker said the suspension was a predetermined action to sideline him from activities of the House.
“They did not carry me along as regards committees. But, the Speaker has been pacifying me. What I noticed is that, there are external forces governing the affairs of the Assembly.
Agboola alleged that despite Court order he was yet to be paid his allowances and denied constituency projects.
“I have been denied of benefits to my constituency. Fertilizers were given to members for their constituencies but I was sidelined.
“The grassroots project year 2020 initiative of 10 million naira was quickly awarded to my predecessor. The 2021 initiatives project of 10 million naira was shared among themselves. I was left out.”
He explained that the N10 million project initiative is meant for constituency in which individual member would identify areas of need in his/her constituency and channel the money through agencies to provide such infrastructure to his/her constituency.
“They (lawmakers) have tried to no avail to woo me but I have conscience. I can’t betray my people that labour so hard for me. I can’t join another group for personal gain,” he stated.
On the development that led to his suspension,
Agboola explained that he was invited to feature on a radio programme, “Eto Baba Eto”, based on popular demand.
“I was invited that it’s my turn to be featured on the programme. The programme was slated for 10 am and our plenary too was for same time.
All what I said on the programme was statement of fact concerning the people of my Local Government and advice to the governor.
“On getting back to Assembly after we have exhausted what we had on paper in the House, the Speaker told us that there was another motion without notice that needed to be considered.
“I raised my hand to call for point of order because we have rule guiding our conduct in the House.
“The Speaker ruled me out of order without listening to my view of point of order. Suddenly, they leveled two allegations against me. First is the allegation of incitement of people against the government and the Assembly. Second, abuse of privileges, which amount to contempt. They used All of them voted for it, without availing opportunity to defend himself.
He, however, said that the Ethics and Privileges Committee of the House has been directed to investigate the issue.
However, reacting to the development, former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki condemned the suspension of Hon. Jimoh Agboola by the Kwara State House of Assembly.
Saraki via his official Twitter page, stated Hon. Agboola, is a member of the opposition party and as such, his job is to assess, critique, and proffer alternatives to government policies.
The former head of the federal legislature, who said he finds it very disturbing that a legislator in his home State would be suspended for exercising his right as opposition party, stressed that the action by the Kwara State House of Assembly does not only constitute a threat to democracy, but also undermines the independence of the legislature as an arm of government.
“It is unprecedented, not only in our state but across the country, he said.
He therefore called on those behind Hon Agboola’s suspension to reverse their decision immediately and also urge the PDP member to remain strong and steadfast at this difficult time. Adding that posterity is there to record and judge his efforts.
Similarly, the immediate past Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad, has reacted to the illegal suspension of the member representing Ilorin South at the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Jimoh Raheem Agboola through a statement signed by Ibitoye Sadiat Odedoyin.
Ali Ahmad expressed shock at the laughable manner in which Hon. Agbo was suspended.
“How do you lock the stable when the horse has bolted? How do you embarrass yourselves by suspending an elected member without the benefit of fair hearing and then turn around and ask him to face an investigation?
“If you pardon unfamiliarity with the House rules, can you do so with unfamiliarity with the Constitution? Suspension is the worst his colleagues could impose for they lack power to expel him.”
Dr. Ahmad, who also represented Ilorin South Constituency during the 8th Assembly, decried the lack of pretence even at mimicking due process in this regard.
He admonished that the legislature is a house of records but that the current members have failed to learn from rich precedent that successive honourable members both from ruling or opposition parties have laboured to institutionalise in the Assembly.
Hon. Dr. Ahmad recalled how the 8th Assembly resisted political pressure to suspend a lone opposition member and even went ahead to install that member as a Committee Chairman.
“My prayers”, Dr. Ahmad continued, “is that incoming legislators who will be members of the Tenth Assembly of the nationally-respected Kwara State House of Assembly will blot out and consign these curious, unconstitutional and extra-parliamentary practices from the rich history of sterling legislative precedents for which Kwara is known.”
He finally urged Kwarans, especially the good people of Ilorin South Constituency, to continue to remain calm while this illegality is either reversed voluntarily or upturned through the superior force of law.
Lending his voice, The 2019 general election PDP candidate,Rt.Hon Razak Atunwa said
the arbitrary suspension of Honourable Agboola, the PDP Member for Ilorin South Constituency, by the Kwara State House of Assembly is nothing short of lawlessness and legislative rascality.
He made this known in his release signed by himself.
“I make these comments in two capacities. Firstly, as an experienced legislator, having been Speaker of the 7th Assembly of the Kwara State House of Assembly and a Member of the House of Representatives. Secondly, as a seasoned legal practitioner.
He further that the purported suspension is repugnant to all known democratic, legislative and legal norms adding that it is alleged that Hon. Agboola incited the public against the Governor in a radio interview.
“I have listened to recording of the radio interview and I find that no reasonable person of sound mind will come to the patently absurd conclusion reached by the Speaker and his members. Nothing said by Hon. Agboola was in violation of any code of conduct, libellous or criminal.
“In a democratic setting such as ours, freedom of speech is sacrosanct. It is only limited at the point where the speech amounts to an offence or infringes the rights of another. An opposition member has a right, and indeed a duty, to criticise the ruling government where he believes they are wrong. Criticising a governor is part and parcel of the terrain of political opposition.
“In legislative practice and procedure, the action woefully fails to meet the procedural standards. In what appears to be a unilateral decision, the Speaker announced the suspension of Hon. Agboola without following the rules of the House. If a member of the House is accused of infringing the law or breaching standards or code of conduct, the matter must first be referred to the House Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Judiciary.
“The Rules of the House are quite clear. The Speaker has no power to suspend any member. That decision can only be taken by a majority of the members of the House in plenary after due process.
“The action is also odious to legal precepts. Anyone accused of any such violation must first be afforded a fair hearing before any punishment is meted out. It is the principle of natural justice to hear the other party.
“In this case, the House has put the cart before the horse: punishment before hearing.
“It is well known that during the 7th Assembly, a member was suspended for violation of House rules and parliamentary standard in that he made false allegations against me in print. I immediately referred his allegations to the Ethics committee. It was thoroughly investigated and found to be completely false. Indeed, I appeared before the committee in their committee room.
“I excused myself and did not preside over the report or be part of its consideration. After that, I made a complaint of my own against that member to the Ethics Committee for making the false accusations. Whilst my complaint was being investigated, the member enjoyed all the full rights and privileges of a member. It was only after their investigation and report that the House unanimously voted in plenary for his suspension. That is the proper procedure.
“Sadly, the Speaker has allowed his Governor to subjugate the legislature to become a lawless instrument of oppression.
“In the 7th Assembly of KWHA, I had two opposition members. Hon. Oyeleke and Hon. Olayonu. Contrary to what they anticipated, I allowed them to be very vibrant and vocal members both in plenary and in committees. They voiced their criticisms freely to their hearts’ content. When they realised that their contributions were making the resolutions and legislation of the House much better, they tactically reduced their criticisms. Subsequently, they took the political decision to join our party and they remain staunch members till today.
“It is manifestly clear that this rash and underhanded action by the Speaker must have hidden motives. Perhaps, in their usual characteristic manner, they wish to get rid of Hon. Agboola in order to pave way for introducing and passing all sorts of obnoxious and repulsive motions and Bills.
“It is most unfortunate that the Speaker and his members are dancing to the whims and caprices of a Governor who is himself a novice in the art of governance and unable to withstand constructive criticism. No wonder he is described by his fellow party members as a “one-chance” governor. As the saying goes, if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.”
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Peoples Democractic Party, PDP has condemned the suspension of Honorable Jimoh Raheem Agboola, member representing Ilorin south State Constituency at the Kwara state house of Assembly , describing the move as unlawful and an affront to parliamentary ethics under any democractic dispensation in the world .
This was contained in the statement issued by Publicity Secretary of the party,Tunde Ashaolu that “Hon Agboola was suspended today following a motion without notice raised by one Honourable Abubakar Mogaji Olawoyin, the House leader citing some comments made by the latter on a radio programme about deplorable state of road infrastructure in the state.
The party also demanded immediate reversal of such decision.
“Ilorin south constituency people have had to endured so much injustice from Danladi led Assembly since 2019.
Ashaolu described Honourable Agboola’s suspension by the Speaker and two House Members as a kangaroo pronouncement that cannot be accepted anywhere in the world where democracy thrives.
He noted that Speaker Danladi who has subjected the Institution of Kwara State Houseuse of Assembly to an appendage of Governor Abdulraham Abdulrazaq’s office, lacks the power to suspend fellow house member who rise to protect the interest of his Constituency by lending his voice to the deplorable level of infrastructure in the state.
He noted that this is a trying time for the state when Government and governance has been brought to its knees .
Citing the abysmal level of insecurities and economic hardship across the state , Ashaolu stated that the House under Yakubu Danladi has failed to live up to its constituition mandate of providing checks and balances to the executive arms of government.
“Honourable Agboola by all standards is not an Appointee of Government or of Mr Speaker but was elected by the people of Ilorin south constituency , The house should know very well that for any action to be taken against such a man, such action must conform with all constituitional processes after due investigation.
“But the kangaroo pronouncement by Mr Speaker following a script from just two House members certainly abused all constituitional provisions” , the statement added
The party then called on people of Ilorin south constituency and followers of Agboola to remain calm while it employs all means legally to seek redress.