Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN Femi Falana, has written the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio through his law firm Falana and Falana to request the lifting of the suspension of its client, Senator Abdul Ningi.
In the letter dated March 25th and signed by the legal luminary, the lawyer noted that Ningi’s trial before the lawmakers on March 14 was contrary to the provisions of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2018, and violated their client’s fundamental right to a fair hearing.
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Falana also said that the Senate by its actions violated the right of the entire people of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District to representation in the Senate for three months, a situation which is considered a breach of section 111 of the Constitution and Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act.
The senior advocate wondered why the senate president did not draw the attention of the lawmakers to a recent decision of the court which held that no parliament in Nigeria has the power to suspend or expel a legislator.
Falana demanded that Ningi’s suspension be lifted within 7 days, failing which the matter will be taken to court for the reinstatement of his client as well as a report to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for treating the judgments of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal with disdain.