Abuja Court orders reinstatement of Nigerian mace-snatching senator

Omo-Agege (middle) flanked by the Police

Abuja Court orders reinstatement of Nigerian mace-snatching senator

A Federal High Court in Abuja Nigeria today ordered immediate reinstatement of the Nigerian senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, who recently led thugs into the legislative chambers and snatched off the mace.

The Senate suspended the senator for 90 days following his debate on re-ordering of the time-table for the 2019 election.

In protest of his suspension, Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central senatorial district led hoodlums who tore into the National Assembly and took away the Mace. The legislative authority was retrieved later.

The ruling judge, Nnamdi Dimgba on Thursday stated that the Senate is only empowered to suspend an earring member for 14 days and 1 legislative day.

Justice Dimgba, therefore, ordered the immediate reinstatement of Senator Omo Agege his salaries and other entitlements should be paid.

Omo-Agege is a supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the amendment of the 2010 Electoral Act which changes the sequence of elections set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He said any amendment is targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.

Although he had previously apologised to the Senate over his comments about electoral act Amendment.

But the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges recommended in its report that Senator Omo-Agege be suspended for 181 legislative days but the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, recommended that it be reduced to 90 legislative days.

Presenting the report on the investigation into the comments made by Senator Omo- Agege, the chairman of the committee, Senator Sam Anyanwu said that the committee found it unacceptable that after Senator Omo-Agege apologised to the Senate over his comments, he made u-turn and took the Senate to court over the matter which was referred to the committee.

Senator Omo-Agege alongside nine others accused the National Assembly of deliberately adopting the conference report on the amendment which they allege had a pre-determined motive targeted at President Buhari.