CJN Talks Tough, Orders Speaker Dogara To Swear-In Hembe’s Replacement
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, has ordered Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to immediately swear-in Herman Hembe’s replacement, Mrs. Dorothy Mato.
The Supreme Court had on June 25 sacked Herman Hembe, member of the Federal House of Representatives representing, Vandikya/ Konshisha constituency, Benue State. The court further ordered that Mrs. Dorothy be sworn in immediately in their stead.
Justice Onnoghen, in his ruling affirming Hembe’s sack in Abuja, on Wednesday, warned Dogara of the consequences of disobedience to court orders, saying such disobedience will spell doom for the country’s democracy.
His words: “If somebody has been in the House where he is not supposed to be and has reaped the benefits which it should not be, you mean we should close our eyes to this product of impunity? No, we cannot go back to that because the imposter has no right to it. Whatever he collected should be refunded. This court is sending a message to everybody so that right from the primaries, the right thing should be done,” the CJN held.