Kogi East battle: Why Senate must swear me in, by candidate

Alfa, who addressed reporters in Abuja yesterday, said the judgment of the Federal High Court mandated the leadership of the Senate to swear him in as the Senator representing Kogi East. He noted that three judgments given in his favour were binding on the Senate to do justice to him by swearing him in without further delay. The Federal High Court in Abuja, on June 13, declared Alfa as the rightful winner of the Kogi East Senatorial seat. The court directed the Clerk of the National Assembly to “forthwith withdraw all the privileges, rights and perquisites of office which the third defendant (Senator Atai Aidoko) hitherto enjoyed as a member of the Senate, and shall convey to the Senate President, the decision of this court that he should forthwith withdraw further recognition to the third defendant as a member of the 8th National Assembly…” Senator Atai Aidoko, who the court asked to vacate the seat, told reporters that he has a pending appeal in the Court of Appeal which must be decided to know the rightful occupant of the seat. Aidoko faulted the judgment which directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to swear Alfa in. He claimed that the Clerk, not being a party to the suit, cannot be ordered to swear in a new comer. But Alfa insisted that Aidoko was only buying time by refusing to vacate the seat. He said: “The Supreme Court judgment referred the case to the High Court that it should determine the rightful person to occupy Kogi East Senate seat…”]]>