Supreme Court Of Nigeria Sacks Assembly Member

With barely seven months to the end of the tenure of the 5th Delta State House of Assembly, the Supreme Court Friday in a unanimous ruling ordered Hon. Edoja Akpodiete, member representing Ughelli North Constituency II, to vacate the seat immediately and within 90 days refund to the state coffers all salaries and allowances paid to him since 2011 when he wrongfully took the seat.

Akpodiete made it to the Assembly on the platform of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) but has since decamped to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The apex court ordered Mr. Jenkins Gwede to assume the seat ruling that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrongfully issued Akpodiete a certificate of return even when it was aware that the DPP had presented Gwede as its new candidate more than 45 days before the House of Assembly election conducted on April 26, 2011.

The lead judgment was read by Justice Walter Onnoghen.