The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, on Wednesday, failed to swear-in Supreme Court affirmed lawmaker for Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State, Dorathy Mato, in disobedience of the judgment of the apex court.
Mato was declared winner of the senatorial election by the apex court and dismissed the appeal filed by the deposed occupier of the federal seat, Herman Hembe.
In spite of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the matter, lawyer to Hembe, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), approached the apex court for the second time, asking it to reverse itself and grant the requests of his client.
But the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, dismissed Hembe’s appeal and lambasted his lawyer, saying that its previous judgment on the matter is still valid.
The apex court further directed Hembe to pay N1million to Mato as costs for filing the frivolous appeal. The Daily Times reports that in dismissing the appeal by Hembe, the Supreme Court ordered the House leadership to swear-in Mato with immediate effect while the impostor (Hembe) was ordered to refund all the entitlements collected by him throughout his period in the House.
But in disregard of the apex court verdict, the Speaker, for the second day, failed to swear in the Benue lawmaker after the House resumed plenary on September 26 after its long recess.
No reason has been given for the refusal of Dogara to swear-in Mato who has repeatedly accused the House leadership of bias. Findings, however, indicate that the leadership of the House is predicating its inaction to swear- in Mato on the grounds that there is a pending case before a lower court, challenging the refusal of the House to swear-in the female Benue House member.
According to the House leadership, until this case is discharged, the House cannot follow due process by swearing in Mato. Suspicion among the supporters of Mato is that apart from the delay tactics being employed by the House leadership to frustrate the duly declared winner of the senatorial election, the case allegedly been referred to by the speaker may have been filed by a proxy of the deposed lawmaker, who is said to be a close ally of Dogara.
Before the House proceeded on its annual recess, the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Public Affairs, Hon Abdulrazaq Namdas, had given a ray of hope that Mato would be sworn-in when the House resumes.
Namdas had responded to inquiries by journalists that by the time the House resumes from recess, Mato would have completed all the processes for her to be sworn-in as Hembe’s replacement.
“Our tenure hasn’t lapsed. We’re going on break and when she’s through, we can still swear her in. “The recess is a constitutional matter and when we return, we will concur legislative business,” he added.
Namdas further claimed that the law provides for anyone coming to the House or holding any elective position, such a person must pass through a process which is the election.
He then said: “You can’t be sleeping in your house without going through a process and then you go and obtain a court order or ruling to achieve your ambition.”
