The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami has written the Senate President Bukola Saraki asking him to honour the judgement of the Federal High Court, Uyo, regarding the representation of Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District at the Senate.

The battle is between the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, and a former Member of the House of Representatives, Bassey Etim.

A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo had in February sacked Senator Akpan from the Senate on the grounds that he did not participate in the primary election for the Akwa Ibom North- East Senatorial District conducted by the PDP ahead of the 2015 election.

The court said Etim, who won the primaries, should be sworn-in immediately. INEC had already issued him a certificate of return.

The letter from the AGF with Reference Number MJ/LIT/ABJ/MOC/112/17 said: “The Senate of NASS is, therefore, required to comply with the judgement in Suit No. FHC/UY/CS/1087/2015 between Hon. Bassey Etim and the Peoples Democratic Party and two others by swearing in Hon. Bassey Etim as the Senator representing Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District in the Senate of the NASS.”

Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, has said it was illegal for any legislator removed by a court judgement to remain in the National Assembly.

Ezechukwu said this yesterday while reacting to various court judgements, including that of the Supreme Court on the Taraba North Senatorial seat, and Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State at the House of Representatives.

In respect of the High Court’s judgement in Akwa Ibom, Ezechukwu said: “The Senate President’s refusal to swear-in the person favoured by the judgement amounts to disobedience to court order.”

Source: The Dialy Trust News