Olufemi Adediran 
The impeached Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Dare Kadiri, was yesterday arraigned before a magistrate’s court in Abeokuta over alleged threat to lives and causing a breach of peace at the Assembly complex. Kadiri had on Tuesday blocked the main gate of the assembly complex with his car, preventing legislative staff, lawmakers and others from entering and exiting the complex.
The embattled lawmaker and his supporters had three months ago stormed the Assembly to ‘enforce’ a judgement nullifying his suspension by the House. The crisis at the Assembly started in September 2022 when Kadiri and one other were suspended by the House over allegations bordering on breach of the rights and privileges of the state legislature. Kadiri was also impeached as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
But, an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta had in March nullified the suspension of Kadiri. Justice O. A. Onafowokan of High Court 3, Abeokuta judicial division, while delivering judgement, held that the lawmaker’s suspension was “an abuse of power and abuse of office by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, the House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House”.