Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila says the House’s decision to suspend Hon. Jubin Abdulmumin violates the Constitution.

In an interview with Thisday, the legislator says this action equates to suspending Jubrin’s constituency and the people he represents.

“Our constitution does not envisage a situation where a Federal Constituency is unrepresented or underrepresented,” he says.

Hon Gbajabiamila says he would have preferred “that the matter be dealt with, in a more transparent manner, or for that matter, not even dealt with at all”.

But other principal officers felt a clear message had to be sent to other members.

“My concern on the suspension, is the same that I always had, even when Dino Melaye and others, were suspended in the 6th Assembly. More so, as this was a one year suspension, he says.

“If you suspend a member for a year, you are effectively suspending his constituency and the people he represents, from participation in participatory democracy. This, in my own personal opinion, violates the constitution which delineates the country into Federal Constituencies for effective representation, at the centre,” he adds.

The House of Assembly suspended Hon. Jubrin for 180 days on the recommendation of its committee on ethics. And his was a reaction to accusations of budget padding made by Hon. Jubrin against principal officers of the House.

Source: Thisday