A federal high court in Abuja has declared the suspension of Abdulmumin Jibrin, lawmaker representing Bebeji/Kiru constituency in Kano state, by the house of representatives, as illegal and has asked that the house pay him all his allowances during his suspension.
In 2017, the house suspended Jibrin for 180 legislative days after he accused the leadership of the house of padding the 2016 budget. Jibrin, who has since resumed his legislative duties, had taken the house to court over his suspension.
Delivering judgement in the suit filed by the lawmaker, Justice Tsoho, declared that the suspension. was “unconstitutional”. He also ordered the lower legislative chamber to pay him all the salaries due to him for the period he was suspended.
“The suspension was an interruption of his earning which will be automatically restored especially when it has been decided that the action was a nullity by virtue of granting prayers 1 and 3 of the originating summons. When an action is declared nullity it is deemed that it never happened.
There is no better conclusion that the plaintiff was carrying out the mandate imposed on members by chapter 7 (7.5) of the Code of Conduct for honourable members adopted on November 4, 2004,” the judge said
