- A human right and anti-corruption group has called for transparency and integrity in the Senate
- The group in a petition to the Court of Appeal called for justice over the delayed swearing in of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East constituency, Bassey Etim
- The group also called for a speedy hearing on the matter matter by the Court of Appeal
An International human rights organization has called for transparency and integrity in carrying out justice over the delayed swearing in of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East constituency.
The organization, International Human Rights and Anti- Corruption Society (IHRAS) accused the Nigerian Senate of being unjust to the people of the constituency having failed to obey court orders on the swearing in of Senator Bassey Etim.
The IHRAS in an interim report sent to the president of the Court of Appeal called for a speedy hearing on the matter.
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The secretary of IHRAS, Lennox Kachina, also commended the Honourable Justices for ensuring that the appeal on the matter was compressed and expeditiously heard when it came up on November 14.
This comes after a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, presided over by Justice FO Rima delivered judgement in a pre-election matter annulling the certificate of return earlier given to Senator Bassey Akpan.
The court also ordered that the electoral body, Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) issue a fresh certificate of return to Senator Bassey.
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While INEC had compiled, the organization said it discovered that Akpan was contesting the governorship election in Akwa Ibom state but lost while Etim contested for the Senate and won.
IHRAS said Etim was however shortchanged by his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which led to The dispute.
The organization while expressing concern over the delay of the swearing inof the newly elected Senator said the order of the court will soon become an academic exercise if not quickly dispense of by the Senate.
The group lamented that the appeal which was entered since March 10, at the Calabar Division of the Court of Appeal has continue to linger up to seven months.
IHRAS said the continuous participation of Sean tor Akpan in the Senate Proceedings despite the court's judgement as illegal.
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that a United Nations election monitoring group had urged the Senate President Bukola Saraki to swear in the senator representing Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, Bassey Etim.
The group said the swearing in of the new Senator will save Nigeria's democracy.
The group also said democracy can only thrive in an environment where there is obedience to the rule of law.
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Source: Naija.ng
ROSY CREST
Thursday, 16 November 2017