Court asked to commit Kwara Assembly Speaker, Majority Leader to prison over alleged contempt

A member of the Kwara State House of Assembly representing Edu State Constituency, Hon. Saba Yisa Gideon, has approached the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, seeking an order committing the Kwara State House of Assembly, Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu and the House Leader, Hon. Oba Abdulkadir Magaji, to prison for alleged disobedience of a court judgment.

The application, filed before the High Court sitting in Ilorin in Suit No. KWS/11/2026, alleges that the respondents failed to comply with the court’s judgment delivered on February 25, 2026, which nullified the lawmaker’s suspension from the House.

The motion, brought pursuant to Order 46 Rule 2(1) of the Kwara State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2022, asks the court to commit the respondents to prison for contempt over their alleged refusal to obey the judgment and enrolled order served on them in April 2026.

Among the orders sought, the applicant is asking the court to restrain the respondents from giving effect to his suspension, interfering with his legislative duties, preventing him from accessing the Assembly complex, chambers, office and committee rooms, and withholding his salaries and entitlements.

He is also asking the court to direct the respondents to pay all outstanding salaries and entitlements accruing during the period he was allegedly prevented from carrying out his legislative responsibilities.

In the grounds supporting the application, the applicant stated that the court, in its February 25 judgment, granted eight reliefs in his favour, comprising three declarations, three injunctions and two consequential orders relating to what it described as his unlawful suspension.

The application further states that the respondents had earlier filed an application for stay of execution pending appeal but that it was dismissed by the court on April 16, 2026.

According to the applicant, the respondents did not appeal the injunctive orders contained in the judgment and have continued to disobey the court’s orders despite being served with the enrolled order and notices of the consequences of disobedience.

The applicant also argued that the three-month suspension imposed on December 18, 2025, had expired on March 17, 2026, while noting that the current 10th Kwara State House of Assembly, inaugurated on June 7, 2023, remains in office until June 6, 2027.

He further contended that there is no subsisting order staying the execution of the February 25 judgment and that no application for stay is pending before any court.

The motion, dated July 21, 2026, was filed by Ayinla Salman Jawondo, SAN, alongside other counsel, on behalf of the applicant.

The matter is expected to come up before the High Court for the respondents to show cause why an order for their committal should not be made.

This version accurately reflects what is contained in the court process, attributes every allegation to the applicant, and avoids presenting the contents of the motion as findings of the court.