Bauchi Court orders reinstatement of suspended female lawmaker
(Nigeria) A Bauchi High Court, on Thursday ordered
the reinstatement of a female member of the state Assembly, Mrs Rifkatu
Danna (PDP-Bogoro), suspended since June 7, 2012.
The state Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Zango, who gave the order in
Bauchi, while delivering judgement on the case, also directed the
House to pay the lawmaker all her salaries and entitlements which
accumulated during her suspension.
Zango held that the indefinite suspension clamped by the House on Danna was unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect.
He described the action of the Assembly as mere arbitrary show of power, which had infringed on the fundamental human rights of the plaintiff.
Danna was suspended by the assembly and ordered to apologise for publicly criticising the decision of the House to relocate the headquarters of Bogoro local government from Tafawa Balewa to Bununu.
The judge said the comment was not derogatory as claimed by the House but mere criticism of her colleagues.
He, however, refused to grant the N30 million damage demanded by Danna over her suspension, but ordered the house to return her official vehicle, security detail and all monies due to her.
Zanna observed that the constituency she represented was robbed of meaningful democracy dividends during the period of her suspension.
Danna filed the case on February 2, 2013, through her counsel, in which the Speaker, Alhaji Yahya Miya and the Assembly were charged as defendants.
In the Originating Summon, she had argued that her suspension violated sections 30, 36, 105, 109 and 110 of the nation’s Constitution and asked the court to order her reinstatement and payment of her entitlements.
Zango held that the indefinite suspension clamped by the House on Danna was unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect.
He described the action of the Assembly as mere arbitrary show of power, which had infringed on the fundamental human rights of the plaintiff.
Danna was suspended by the assembly and ordered to apologise for publicly criticising the decision of the House to relocate the headquarters of Bogoro local government from Tafawa Balewa to Bununu.
The judge said the comment was not derogatory as claimed by the House but mere criticism of her colleagues.
He, however, refused to grant the N30 million damage demanded by Danna over her suspension, but ordered the house to return her official vehicle, security detail and all monies due to her.
Zanna observed that the constituency she represented was robbed of meaningful democracy dividends during the period of her suspension.
Danna filed the case on February 2, 2013, through her counsel, in which the Speaker, Alhaji Yahya Miya and the Assembly were charged as defendants.
In the Originating Summon, she had argued that her suspension violated sections 30, 36, 105, 109 and 110 of the nation’s Constitution and asked the court to order her reinstatement and payment of her entitlements.
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