By Osagie Otabor, Akure

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has ruled that the leadership of any House of Assembly lacked the power to place indefinite suspension on any elected lawmaker.

It ruled that the suspension of any legislator could not be more than one legislative day or a plenary sitting.

Justice Bola Ademola spoke on Thursday while giving judgment in a suit by Tomide Akinribido of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), who represents Ondo West Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Akinribido was placed on an indefinite suspension in August for gross misconduct and use of vulgar words on Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun in the hallowed chamber and on a WhatsApp platform.

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Akinribido was one of the nine lawmakers who opposed the impeachment of Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi.

But Justice Ademola in her ruling nullified the indefinite suspension placed on Akinribido.

She held that the Assembly had no power to place indefinite suspension on lawmakers, but could only regulate actions of its members as well as mete out disciplinary actions on members.

Justice Ademola declared that the lawmaker’s indefinite suspension was a misuse of the power of the Assembly and was therefore null and void.

However, the court dismissed the prayer of the lawmaker to award cost.

Akinribido said he would resume his legislative duty in the Assembly next week.

He said: “The meaning of the judgment is that my suspension expired at the next plenary sitting after the day I was suspended. Anyway, I will write the House that I’m resuming next week.”