Suspension Of Six Members Of Nasarawa Assembly, Is Undemocratic, Irrational And Flagrant Abuse Of Constitution—Nasarawa Lawyer
Rabiu Omaku
A legal luminary in Nasarawa state, Barriater Abdullahi Ubandoma Abdullahi has described the suspension of the six lawmakers as irrational, flagrant abuse and aberration of constitution by the Nasarawa state House of Assembly.
Ubandoma counseled the speaker to have a rethink by recalling the suspended members back, he further questioned the resolution reached by the Assembly asking the suspended lawmakers to return back their official vehicles couple with deprivation of their allowances as vindictive.
The legal luminary asserted that the decision was irrational and dangerous which must not be allowed to stay in the interest of peace and good government, Barrister Abdullahi Ubandoma Abdullahi urge the lawmakers for the interest of liberty, Justice, equity and fair representation to recall the suspended members to continue with their legislative functions
The re-suspension letter was dated 28/06/2016 written by Barrister Ubandoma of ABDULLAHI UBANDOMA & CO owner of Aamal chambers and addressed to the office of the chief executive, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state, The Rt.Hon Speaker, NSHA, The national chairman, All Progressives Congress, The state chairman of the All Progressives Congress respectively
The letter reads in part
“It is worthy to note that constitutional democracy guarantees fundamental human rights which includes the rights of freedom of expression and speech as encapsulated under chapter two of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended
Consequently upon this, I therefore call upon the Assembly to have a rethink over your decision and to immediately recall the six suspended lawmakers to resume work so that their people would not feel ostracized from enjoying the benefits and dividend of democracy.
More so that all your actions are flagrant abuse and violation of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria and capable of setting a bad precedence.
No matter what it takes, you as the lawmakers must work together and deliver the dividend of democracy in Nasarawa state irrespective of differences in views and party affiliations since the end result is service to the people.
It further reads, We are all in the know that democracy does not consist mainly of constitutional prescriptions about government and limitation of its power but that it also constituted more by habits, traditions and conventions which conditioned the attitudes of both the legal and ultimate sovereignty within a polity and therefore delimit the parameters of permissible political behavior, Distinguished honorable members, the said suspension is to my mind and all lovers of democracy constitute nothing but a constitutional and political aberration.
It is sad that this undemocratic action for almost two months now has continued to deprive the six suspended lawmakers that were credibly and constitutionally elected to represent their people from participation in the legislative process of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
