Supreme Court sacks Edo APC lawmaker

From: Godwin Tsa,  Abuja

The Supreme Court on Friday sacked a member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Ovia South West,  Sunday Aghedo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Apex Court  in a composite judgment dismissed the appeals lodged by the sacked lawmaker and his political platform- the APC.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Dantijo Mohammed, the court declared Mr. Godwin Adenomo also of the APC the winner of the election in  Ovia South- West constituency of Edo State House of Assembly held on April 11, 2015.

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of Court of Appeal, Benin Division  and held that Mr. Godwin Adenomo  won the APC primary election conducted by the party on December 2, 2014.

The Court ordered the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly to swear in Mr. Godwin Adenomo  as member of the Assembly representing Ovia South West constituency. The apex court further ordered Aghedo to refund all salaries and allowances he collected from Edo State House of Assembly from May 2015 to date to the State House of Assembly within 90 days.

The court also awarded N300, 000 cost against  Aghedo who had challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal delivered by Justice Moore Asiemo Adumein.

The pre- election matter arose from  primary election in which  Mr Godwin Adenomo scored the highest votes cast at the APC primary for Ovia South- West constituency, scoring 152 votes against 140 scored by Aghedo.

But , instead of submitting Adenomo’s name, his opponent’s name was forwarded as the party’s candidate for the election and the three man appeal panel set up by the party to look into his complaint upheld the decision of the party.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the party’s appeal panel, Adenomo  dragged the APC and the primary election committee to court over imposition of the sacked lawmaker as the winner.

Reacting to the judgment on Friday Mr. Adenomo thanked the judiciary for standing for justice. He advised politicians to always seek redress in court instead of resorting to violence any time they feel cheated.