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Reps under pressure to swear in Hembe’s replacement

By Otei Oham (Abuja) and Eric Meya (Sokoto)
11 July 2017   |   4:23 am
Chief Justice of the Federation, Walter Onnoghen had said: “I am satisfied and hold that the plaintiff has proved that the first defendant/respondent (Hembe) was not a member of the APC as at December 10, 2014, when the primaries were held.

House of Representatives

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The alleged failure of the House of Representatives to swear-in Mrs. Dorothy Mato, yesterday created unease i9n the legislative chamber. The Supreme Court in its unanimous judgment on June 23, 2017, ordered Mato to be sworn in, following its nullification of the election of Herman Hembe.

Hembe, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) represented Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency in Benue State before the ruling. The court ruled that Mato was the duly recognised candidate in the APC primaries that brought in Hembe.

In the ruling, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Walter Onnoghen had said: “I am satisfied and hold that the plaintiff has proved that the first defendant/respondent (Hembe) was not a member of the APC as at December 10, 2014, when the primaries were held.

“Accordingly, he was not qualified to contest the said election as he was still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).” The court had asked Hembe to vacate his seat forthwith and return all monies collected as salaries and allowances since June 2015 within 90 days.

Reacting, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaq Namdas said it was not true that the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara deliberately refused to swear in Mato.

He said she would be formally accepted into the House as soon as necessary documentations have been completed.

The Guardian leant that members of the National Council of Women Society (NCWS) planned to stage a protest yesterday against the matter, but were persuaded to wait to see whether the lawmakers would oblige her this week.

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