EXCLUSIVE: How Kwara Assembly Suspended Lawmaker Over Alleged Audio Leak To Speaker’s Political Opponent

Although the Assembly officially cited “unparliamentary conduct” as the basis for Gideon’s suspension, multiple sources in the House told SaharaReporters that the action was politically motivated and tied to deepening internal power struggles ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Kwara State House of Assembly is embroiled in fresh controversy after suspending Hon. Saba Gideon Yisa, the lawmaker representing Edu Local Government Area, over allegations that he leaked an audio recording to Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, a businessman and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain with noted governorship ambitions.

Although the Assembly officially cited “unparliamentary conduct” as the basis for Gideon’s suspension, multiple sources in the House told SaharaReporters that the action was politically motivated and tied to deepening internal power struggles ahead of the 2027 elections.

Seriki, an APC chieftain widely believed to be nursing a governorship ambition, is reportedly at loggerheads with the Speaker of the House, Salihu Yakubu Danladi, whose governorship aspiration has become an open secret in Ilorin political circles.

According to sources, the controversy erupted after Hon. Owolabi Rasaq, representing Share/Oke-Ode constituency, accused Gideon on the floor of the House of leaking sensitive legislative deliberations to Seriki.

One source explained that the alleged leak concerned a proposed motion seeking the revocation of Seriki’s mining licences in Kwara State, an issue said to have sparked intense behind-the-scenes lobbying and divisions within the Assembly.

The allegation reportedly began to unravel during plenary even though Owolabi admitted that he did not know who actually leaked the information.

Despite this admission, lawmakers sympathetic to the House leadership allegedly pressed ahead with calls for Gideon’s sanction, arguing that his close relationship with Seriki made him the “most likely” source of the leak.

Sources say the issue escalated from legislative disagreement to personal confrontation after an audio recording obtained by SaharaReporters, captured a tense exchange between Speaker Salihu Yakubu Danladi and the suspended lawmaker.

In the leaked audio, the Speaker is heard warning Gideon to “play soft” and accusing him of talking too much.

Although the Speaker denied directly asking Gideon to support his alleged governorship ambition, the lengthy audio monologue repeatedly references political structures, party control, and loyalty.

In the recording, the Speaker is heard saying, “Gideon, you know I know you very well. Play soft. I told you severally, Gideon, be careful. I didn’t say you should come and support me. I have never discussed governorship ambitions with you, not even for a day.

"I told you that those around me, none of them is contesting for the House of Assembly, and I will not go against any of my colleagues. I told you that.

"But I said, if we are discussing the governorship, our governor will never call Gideon and say, ‘Come and support me.’ I said, where am I today that Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq would call and say, ‘Speaker, what do you think is needed?’

"The leader called you. The leader called Buhari and asked, ‘Sadiq Buhari, are you contesting?’ Buhari said no. And I told you, Buhari is not contesting any election.

"Gideon, I called you again. I called Idan Manko’s number and said, ‘Idan Manko, I want you to know that Gideon is my brother, he is my colleague, and I cannot go against Gideon.’

"As a human being, what do you want me to do for you? Have I ever woken up one day and said, ‘Gideon, please, where you are, leave that place and come and support me?’ No.

"Gideon, when the time reaches, everything will sort itself out. You are boasting of having a party structure; God used me to give you that party structure. God used Danladi to give you the party structure.

"No. We did the congress in 2021; that’s why we did the congress. And God used me to make sure I handed the structure to you people.”

"So, Gideon, I told you several times, and I have never, for one day, discussed my governorship ambition with you. I have never. And I have never discussed any aspirant with you,” he added.

SaharaReporters previously reported that the Kwara State House of Assembly had suspended Gideon for three months over alleged contempt of the House and breach of legislative privilege.

It was learnt that the suspension followed revelations that Gideon secretly recorded a closed-door meeting of the Assembly and shared the audio with an unauthorised person.

During plenary last Thursday, lawmakers said the legislator admitted to the act when the matter was raised on the floor of the House, according to The PUNCH.

The motion for his suspension was moved without prior notice by the Leader of the House, Abdulkadir Magaji, who cited Order 4, Rule 14 of the House Rules on Privileges and Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.

“I want to call the attention of this honourable House to an urgent matter in line with Order 4, Rule 14 of this honourable House on rules and privileges,” Magaji said.

“Hon. Saba did something that can put this honourable House in jeopardy by sending sensitive information about its activities to the public.”

Hon. Ganiyu Salaudeen (Omupo), Musa Kareem (Patigi), Owolabi Rasaq (Shaare/Oke-Ode), Abdullahi Danbaba (Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe), and Oniboki Yunusa (Afon), all of whom condemned the action, and several lawmakers contributed to the debate.

Reading the resolution of the House, the Speaker said the unauthorised recording and its circulation was capable of bringing the legislative institution into disrepute.

“Hon. Gideon’s conduct amounted to contempt and a breach of privilege,” the Speaker said.

The Assembly also directed the suspended lawmaker to submit a written apology to the House within the three-month suspension period.