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The Kwara State House of Assembly has defended the three-month suspension of Saba Yisa Gideon, the lawmaker representing Edu State Constituency, insisting that the action was lawful, procedural, and in line with established parliamentary rules.
The House made this known in a rejoinder issued on Sunday, 4th of January 2026 in response to a press conference addressed by the suspended legislator, in which he alleged that his suspension was illegal, unconstitutional, and ultra vires.
According to the Assembly, the suspension followed Hon. Gideon’s involvement in the secret recording of proceedings during a closed-door meeting of lawmakers and the subsequent release of the audio recording to an unauthorised person. The House stated that the action constituted a breach of legislative protocol and amounted to contempt of the legislature.
The Assembly explained that the decision was taken pursuant to Order 4 Rule 14 and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, stressing that the measure was not connected to the lawmaker’s political views or contributions on the floor of the House.
It noted that closed-door sessions are convened to brief members on sensitive state policies and to allow frank deliberations, adding that all legislators are bound by oath and House rules to maintain the confidentiality of such meetings.
“The act of secretly recording fellow members during a formal pre-sitting closed-door briefing and releasing the content to the public without the consent of the House constitutes a serious misconduct and a violation of trust,” the Assembly stated.
Addressing claims of lack of due process, the House disclosed that Hon. Gideon was invited to appear before an ad-hoc committee on December 17, 2025, where he was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations. It added that the lawmaker admitted to the act during the committee’s sitting.
The Assembly said the admission informed the collective decision of the House to impose a suspension in order to maintain discipline, order, and institutional integrity.
Describing claims of illegality as misleading and unfounded, the House maintained that no member is above its rules and that accountability applies equally to all legislators.
The rejoinder was signed by Shittu Motunrayo Rukayat, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Youth and Sports, who reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to transparency, democratic principles, and the rule of law.
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