One month after court order, Gbajabiamila yet to swear in Taraba rep

One month after a Federal High Court ordered for the swearing-in of Garba Hamanjurde Chede as the member representing Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency of Taraba State,  he is yet to be sworn in by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila. It could be recalled that the court, presided by Justice Simon Akpah Amobeda, had in […]

One month after a Federal High Court ordered for the swearing-in of Garba Hamanjurde Chede as the member representing Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency of Taraba State,  he is yet to be sworn in by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

It could be recalled that the court, presided by Justice Simon Akpah Amobeda, had in its judgement in September sacked the member representing the constituency in the National Assembly, Mubarak Gembo.

It also ordered that the Certificate of Return issued to the sacked lawmaker by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be withdrawn and issued to Chede,

Meanwhile, a letter to the Speaker dated September 28, 2021 signed by Abdulhamid Mohammed, lawyer to Chede, urged the speaker to comply with the court judgement which reinstated the lawmaker.

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Chede said his lawyers were planning to begin a process of contempt of court against Gbajabiamila for failure to comply with the court judgement.

“The speaker is so adamant despite all the counsels he received to swear me in, citing someone in the Villa as the stumbling block.

“The speaker is also saying that it is the culture of the House to protect its members even if there is a court judgment. I feel this is a most unfair and unjust posture especially for a lawmaking organ of the government,” he said.

The APC chieftain, who represented the constituency between 2015 and 2019, described the speaker’s alleged refusal to swear him in as an affront to democracy.

Contacted, the House spokesman, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) said, “if the said person has gotten certificate of return, the necessary steps will be taken when the House resumes plenary.”