Nigerian Senate suspends lawmaker for 90 legislative days over support for Buhari

A Nigerian lawmaker, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has been suspended for 90 legislative days for rescinding on his apologies over his support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The lawmaker, who is representing Delta Central under the platform for the ruling party, APC, was pardoned by the Senate leadership after the Senate Committee on Ethics had recommended that the senator be suspended for 181 legislative days.

Reasons for suspension

This is coming after the Senate deliberated on changing the sequence of elections set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Senate Committee on Ethics had expressed disappointment that after Omo-Agege, who admitted guilt on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 by apologising to the leadership and the entire Senate, changed his mind and took the Senate President and the Senate to court.

The Senate further said the lawmaker's suspension is to serve as deterrent to other senators who might contemplate taking the Senate to court over its power to regulate or determine its internal matters.

Saraki, who stated that the issue of preserving the integrity of this institution is paramount, said: “I think in this chamber, if we want to talk about who has the right to say he is chairman of a parliamentary support group for Mr. President both by action and by what we have done, I think that I have the right to lead that — more than anyone else here.”

Nigerian Senate suspends lawmaker for 90 legislative days over support for Buhari

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