Aidoko on Wednesday said he cannot vacate his seat because the verdict
of the Federal High Court nullifying his election was not enforceable.
It would be recalled that Isaac Alfa had taken Aidoko to an Abuja
Federal High Court challenging his election in 2015. The court
recently delivered a judgment in favour of Alfa against Aidoko, and
directed the Clerk of the Senate to swear in Alfa.
Both individuals, however, are members of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP. But Alfa is contesting that he was the rightful candidate
in the 2015 election instead of Aidoko, and consequently sued for his
removal from the seat as the senator representing Kogi East.
But Aidoko, while addressing newsmen in Abuja, said he has appealed
the judgment of the court.
Besides, the embattled lawmaker said it was not in the capacity of the
Clerk as ordered by the court but the Senate President who administers
oath of office and swears in lawmakers.
He pointed out that it is the Senate president to whom certificate of
return is submitted before a swearing in ceremony can take effect.
Aidoko said, "It is a common knowledge in law that once a notice of
appeal was entered, every other thing will stay.
"I have, therefore, appealed the judgment and motion for stay of
execution entered at the appeal court. By this situation, no party
should take any further actions.
"No institution should violate the law, not even the parliament until
the appeal is determined.
"Contrary to uninformed perspectives being bandied about, nobody in
the Senate is doing the wrong thing. The constitution does not allow
the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to do otherwise."
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