Mato

A new member of the House of Representatives, Mrs Dorothy Mato, representing Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue, on Tuesday took her seat in the hallowed chambers after taking oath of allegiance.

Rep. Mato replaced Herman Hembe, who was sacked by the Supreme Court in its ruling of June 23.

The Apex Court said Hembe was not the right candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2015 National Assembly election in Benue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, admitted her as a member after she was sworn in at the plenary by the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir.

The event was witnessed by her supporters at the chamber’s gallery.

Hembe was asked to immediately vacate his seat and refund all remunerations that accrued to him while he was in the House.

The court also ordered INEC to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to him and issue same to Mato, while ordering the Speaker of the House to also swear in Mato as Hembe’s replacement.

NAN also reports that Hembe had filed a motion on notice dated Sept.18 in the Supreme Court, asking it to reverse the judgement for “being in error.”

But the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, had in Sept. 20 ruling on the issue, insisted that the court, being the Apex Court of the land, cannot reverse itself.