Why we are yet to swear-in Hembe’s replacement – Reps

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas, has explained why Dorathy Mato has not been sworn in as the replacement for Honourable Herman Hembe, who was sacked by the Supreme Court last week.
DAILY POST reports that the Supreme Court had on June 23, sacked Hembe and also ordered him to return all salaries collected so far within 90 days.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgment declared Hembe’s election into the House as null and void.
But the House spokesperson who responded to the development, said that, “It is not true that because she is a woman we have refused to swear her in.

“A colleague of mine from Adamawa State, the Court of 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, there 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.”