Kwara Assembly suspends lawmaker for three months over privilege breach

The Kwara State House of Assembly has suspended Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon, representing Edu State Constituency, for three months over alleged contempt and breach of legislative privilege.

The suspension followed allegations that the lawmaker secretly recorded a closed-door session of the House and shared the audio with an unauthorised person. During deliberations, Gideon was said to have admitted to the act.

Moving the motion without notice, the Leader of the House, Hon. Abdulkadir Magaji, cited Order 4, Rule 14 of the House Privileges Rules and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, as the legal basis for the action.

Several lawmakers contributed to the debate, including Hon. Ganiyu Folabi Salaudeen (Omupo), Hon. Musa Kareem (Patigi), Hon. Owolabi Rasaq (Shaare/Oke-Ode), Hon. Abdullahi Halidu Danbaba (Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe) and Hon. Oniboki Yunusa (Afon).

In its resolution, the House held that the unauthorised recording was capable of bringing the legislature into disrepute and therefore amounted to contempt and a breach of privilege. Gideon was directed to tender a written apology to the House within the suspension period.

The Assembly ruled that the suspension takes immediate effect.

At the sitting, Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu also read a message from Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, notifying the House of his intention to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill for legislative consideration on Monday, December 22, 2025.

The Speaker thereafter instructed the Clerk of the House to put necessary arrangements in place to ensure a smooth presentation of the budget proposal by the governor.