A Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi has sacked a member of the Benue State House of Assembly representing Oju 2 Constituency, Mr. Mathew Ire, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, over substitution of name.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Binta Nyako, on Wednesday fired Ire who contested the PDP House of Assembly primaries in November 29, 2014, alongside Agi Micheal Adigwu and Jairus Erube, who was the then incumbent.
At the party’s primaries, Ire, who was declared winner, scored 10 votes while Adigwu (plaintiff) polled 11 votes and Erube got five votes, respectively. In spite of that, Ire was handed the party’s flag and was subsequently voted, just as INEC issued the Certificate of Return to him.
Out of dissatisfaction, Adigwu approached the Federal High Court for justice, praying the court that his highest number of votes be recognised.
Justice Nyako ruled that the PDP primaries were premised on illegal processes by substituting the name of the actual winner of the primaries with Ire, who was not the winner.
Nyako held that the inaugurated PDP Assembly member be removed from the seat immediately. He directed that INEC should, as a matter of urgency, withdraw the Certificate of Return from Ire and hand it over to Adigwu, who should be sworn into the office
