Senate Appeals Court’s Reversal Of Omo-Agege’s Suspension

The Nigerian Senate has appealed Thursday’s ruling of an Abuja Federal High Court, nullifying its suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of Delta Central Senatorial District.

The High Court, which was presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, ruled today that the 90 legislative days suspension handed Senator Omo-Agege was “unconstitutional” as the pattern the Senate adopted in the process was allegedly faulty.

Justice Dimgba also ruled that against the 90 days suspension handed the lawmaker, the upper legislative chamber can only suspend a senator for a maximum of 14 days.

The Senate however announced in a statement late Thursday that it has filed a “Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution of the same Judgement on the 10th of May, 2018.”

The statement reads, “The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Coram Nnamdi Dimgba .J. in a judgment delivered today, the 10th May, 2018 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/314/18 between Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege V. Senate & 2 Ors held that the Senate and the Senate President who where the 1st and 2nd Defendants in the suit filed by Sen. Ovie Omo Agege can punish erring members of the Senate. The Court also held that all reliefs of the plaintiff are not grantable as they could not be supported by the processes filed by the plaintiff.

“However, relying on Relief 8 which is the Omnibus prayer, the Court held that the suspension was not in accordance to law, the Senate and the Senate President promptly filed a Notice of Appeal and a Motion for Stay of Execution of the same Judgement on the 10th of May, 2018.”

Recall that the Senate had suspended Senator Omo-Agege over allegations he made that Red Chamber’s bid to reorder the 2019 election sequence was aimed at President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election.

The Ethics and Privileges Committee of the upper legislative chamber had recommended the suspension of Omo-Agege in the report of its investigation into the lawmaker’s allegations against Senate.

Following his suspension, the Senator was alleged to have sponsored the hoodlums who recently stormed the Senate and made away with its Mace.