Jigawa suspended assembly member sue speaker N50 million

Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse

A suspended member of the Jiawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sani Isyaku Abubakar, is suing the Speaker of the House for the sum of N50 million over his suspension since March 5.

The case, which was filed at the state high court in March, was presided over on Tuesday by Justice Ahmed Isa.

The defence lawyer and Attorney-General of the state, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, had prayed to the court in a preliminary objection to the suit demanding for the exclusion of the 3rd defendant who is also the Clerk of the House from the ‎originating sermon filed before the court.

Aliyu has argued that the Clerk ought not have been dragged into the House debacle since he is not a lawmaker.

However, lead counsel to the claimants Prof Mamman Lawan, SAN, argued that the Clerk, being the Chief Accounting Officer of the House of Assembly, must be joined in the suit.

Lawan had later accused the state House of Assembly for breach of law by refusing to ‎give the complainant fair hearing before his indefinite suspension.

He said the Assembly ought to have respected its own house rules by referring such matters to the legislature’s ethics and privileges committee for investigations and onward advise that would be discussed on the floor of the House.

He said the fundamental rights‎ of the member was grossly abused by shortchanging the constituents that elected him to represent them.

He pleaded with court to award his client the sum of N50 million as damages.