Despite a court order declaring
the Kogi East Senatorial seat vacant, Atai Aidoko Ali, who until the court’s
pronouncement represented the district, on Tuesday attended plenary as a Senator.
Mr. Ali’s presence was announced
by the Senate Chief Whip.
Before the announcement, he had
participated in a closed-door session that lasted an hour.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had
on December 18, 2017 declared the Kogi East senatorial district seat vacant.
But Mr. Aidoko denied the ruling,
claiming that the issue of ‘candidacy or vacant seat’ did not come up during
the judgment.
Mr. Aidoko said the Appeal Court
judgment did not declare the seat vacant but ordered parties to return to the
High Court, ‘to seek requirement for reference which he filed before the Appeal
court.’
However according to Premium Times, court documents sourced by them showed that the Senator lied as the seat was actually declared
vacant.
The judgement showed that the
seat should be empty until a decision of the Federal High Court is made, as
directed by the Supreme Court on June 16, 2017.
The Appeal Court in a unanimous
judgement condemned the decision of Mr. Aidoko to return to the court to seek
interpretation of a matter that had been resolved by the Supreme Court.
A three-member panel of judges
led by Abdul Aboki described as ‘reckless and bizarre’ the application brought
by Mr. Aidoko.
It ordered the senator to pay N1
million compensation to his contender to the seat, Isaac Alfa.
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