The former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon Dare Kadiri, has been arraigned in court after attempting to enforce a court judgement which nullified his suspension by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo.
Kadiri had been suspended by Oluomo in September 2022, citing the provisions of Sections 14 and 15 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017. The lawmaker went to court seeking redress and the court ruled in his favour, nullifying the suspension on the grounds that it was an abuse of power by the speaker.
Following the judgement, Justice O.A. Onafowokan of High Court 3, Abeokuta, directed that all emoluments due to Hon Dare Kadiri be paid without delay. However, the Oluomo-led Ogun Assembly went back to court and sought a stay of execution, but the application was also dismissed and a fine of N100,000 was awarded against the applicant.
On Tuesday, Kadiri returned to the Assembly Complex in Oke-Mosan, demanding that he be allowed to resume office following the court rulings. He blocked the main entrance with his car and prevented others from resuming business for the day. He was subsequently arrested and detained for the night at the Ogun State police headquarters.
On Wednesday, Hon Kadiri was arraigned for what the police described as threat to lives and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. The prosecutor, Lawrence Olu-Balogun, told the court that the lawmaker had been on suspension since March 2022, but claimed that the court had given him judgement and asked him to resume back to his office.
The prosecutor maintained that the offences committed by Hon Dare Kadiri contravene Sections 86(1) and 249(D) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006. However, Chief Magistrate Mrs M.O. Osinbajo admitted the defendant to bail by self-recognition, adjourning the case until June 1 for trial.
