OGUN ASSEMBLY PARDONS EX-DEPUTY SPEAKER, PASSES PREGNANCY TERMINATION BILL

The Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, promote safe motherhood and reproductive health rights, and establish conditions for the safe termination of pregnancy in accordance with specified legal indications.

The legislation, titled “H.B. No. 036/OG/2026 Ogun State Safe Termination of Pregnancy Law, 2026,” was passed during Thursday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The passage followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Health by its Chairman, Wahab Haruna. The report was adopted after a motion moved by Haruna and seconded by the Chief Whip, Omobola Bakare.

The bill was subsequently considered and adopted clause-by-clause by the Committee of the Whole House.

The motion for its third reading was moved by Babatunde Tella and seconded by Lukman Adeleye. The motion was supported by the lawmakers through a voice vote, after which the Clerk and Head of Legislative Service, Sakiru Adabakin, read the bill for the third time.

The Speaker thereafter directed that a clean copy of the bill be transmitted to Governor Dapo Abiodun for his assent.

The proposed legislation had earlier undergone legislative scrutiny and stakeholder consultations. During its second reading, the Assembly said the bill would be examined to ensure that its provisions were consistent with the Nigerian Constitution and other applicable laws.

Four other bills also scaled first reading during Thursday’s plenary. They are the Gender Balance in Political and Public Offices Bill, 2026; the Group Liability for Offences of Violence, Extortion and Secret Societies Bill, 2026; the Victims’ Rights Bill, 2026; and the Ogun State Human Sacrifice Prevention and Prohibition Bill, 2026.

In another development, the 10th Assembly resolved to pardon former Deputy Speaker of the 9th Legislature, Dare Kadiri, by converting his removal from office to a voluntary resignation.

Kadiri, who represented Ijebu North II Constituency, was removed as Deputy Speaker in March 2021 over allegations of gross misconduct.

The decision followed an appeal submitted by Kadiri seeking the conversion of his impeachment and removal to resignation.

Presenting the report of the Committee of the Whole House, the Chief Whip, Omobola Bakare, said the committee met on August 18, 2026, to consider the former deputy speaker’s request.

The lawmakers said the consideration was not intended to revisit the circumstances surrounding his impeachment, apportion blame, engage in political contestation or establish his innocence regarding the issues that led to his removal.

Rather, the committee said Kadiri requested a former member of the House who wanted to bring that chapter of his public service to a peaceful and dignified conclusion.

Bakare moved for the adoption of the report, while Bisi Oyedele seconded the motion. Other lawmakers subsequently supported it through a voice vote.

The resolution formally changes the record of Kadiri’s removal from impeachment to resignation.