Before resumption of duties after the suspension is over, he is expected to tender an apology to the house. This sanction slammed on Jibrin is nothing short of devastating and capable of destroying his political career.
180 legislative days is equivalent to more than one normal year. The House sits for 3 days in a week. There are 52 weeks in a year. So in a year, the House can sit for about 156 days (which are not up to 180 days. It is not even all those 52 weeks that the House sits. They usually go on recess for 3 months (about 12 weeks), so 36 days are off the 156 days. Therefore, if this suspension holds sway, we won't be seeing Honourable Jibrin till around February or March 2018. Wow. Even at that, there is no guarantee that he will come back. There is a proviso that he apologizes to the House. Given his ego, it will be difficult for that to happen. It would even make him seem wrong all along.
I believe the punishment handed down on Jibrin is too much. While not saying he shouldn't be punished, the House went too far. This suspension is denying the federal constituency which Jibrin represents of representation for the period of the suspension. Thus, the constituency is also being punished. It is doubtful that the House or the committee responsible made use of any guideline for punishment. It must have been discretionary.
When the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges summoned Jibrin to answer the charges against him, he refused to honour the invitation. Therefore the committee had no option than to work with what those who testified against him said. At least, an opportunity for AUDI ALTEREM PARTEM was created. I was quick to blame Jibrin for not availing himself of the opportunity to defend himself. However, in an interview yesterday, Jibrin stated that the matter was already in court and so the House had no power to cause an investigation into it again. Hence, his refusal to honour the ethics committee's invitation. If his claim is true, then the House truly had no right act on the matter since it was pending in court. Jibrin has instructed his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) to charge the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara for contempt of court. In that same interview, Jibrin said he will never apologize to the House.
With what has been said, the battleground definitely shifts to the court. If judgment is given in Jibrin's favour, then we may be seeing him return to the House sooner than expected. If not, it is doubtful if he'll return.
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