Senate speaks as Delta lawmaker attends plenary

The Nigerian Senate says it would not stop Delta lawmaker, Ovie Omo-Agege from attending plenary on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

The Senate had suspended Omo-Agege for 90-legislative days over matters related to the reordering of elections.

Omo-Agege headed to court and he had the Senate decision overturned on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in a ruling, said the Senate can only suspend an erring lawmaker for 14 legislative days.

The Senate appealed the ruling by Justice Dimgba.

Speaking to , Omo-Agege said he would resume plenary today.

In a statement by its spokesman, Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, the Senate noted that it would await the judgment on the matter before its next line of action.

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

“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 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 decision on the pending motion,” it added.

Omo-Agege and the Mace

On Wednesday, April 13, 2018, thugs allegedly accompanying Senator Omo-Agege invaded the Senate and carted the mace – the symbol of authority of the upper legislative chamber.

Senator Omo-Agege was arrested after plenary but denied involvement in the mace theft.

The Delta lawmaker got a court injunctionpreventing him from being arrested.

Some "Delta indigenes" had called for a reversal of Omo-Agege’s suspension from the Senate.

They threatened to resort to individual or collective representation if their demand was not granted.