Why Hembe’s replacement is yet to be sworn in —Reps spokesperson

The Chairman, House of Representatives on Media and Public Affairs, Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas, on Thursday, said that replacement for Honourable Herman Hembe, who was sacked by the Supreme Court was not sworn in because of procedural issue.

It will be recalled that the Supreme Court had, on June 23, sacked Hembe and also ordered him to return all salaries collected within 90 days so far before his sack from the House.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgment declared Hembe’s election into the House as null and void. 

The court declared, the appellant, Mrs. Dorothy Mato the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Vandeikya/Konshisha federal constituency of Benue State.

The apex court also ordered INEC to issue certificate of return to Mato.

Mrs Mato who was at the National Assembly for her swearing in was said to have completed her documentation was not sworn in to her charging.

But the House spokesperson who responded to the development, said that, “It is not true that because she is a woman that we have refused to or the speaker has refused her that is not true.

“In my state, a colleague of mine from Adamawa State court appeal ruled and he lost his seat and a woman replaced him and she was sworn in immediately.

“So you can see it is not an issue of gender and I know that as a matter of fact, if there is any pronouncement by the court, they are also some processes you have to undergo in the house before you are sworn in”.

According to Namdas, “I’m not aware that has been done, I have to look at it and I can tell you that if all the right choices have been fulfilled, I don’t think there is any reason that she will not be sworn in. But the truth is that as far as I’m concerned there are certain processes that you have to go through here before you get sworn-in, if not, people can just come from the market, so some due process must be followed and if those process are followed, you will be there to report it.”