Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, has assured that the Senate will abide by the law in resolving the controversy surrounding the authentic representative of Akwa-Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Lawan made this known in a news briefing on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, had on Feb. 27, 2017, ordered Sen. Bassey Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District in the Senate to vacate his seat.
The judge, Justice Fatun Riman, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the Certificate of Return from Akpan.
He ordered that INEC should issue a new Certificate of Return to Mr Bassey Etim and that the National Assembly should swear in Etim as senator representing the district in the red chamber.
Riman had said that Akpan was not duly elected in the primary election of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Dec. 7, 2014.
However, controversy has continued to trail the judgment as the Senate has failed to swear-in Etim since the judgment was given.
Lawan assured that the Senate would abide by rule of law on the matter but declined further comment.
According to him, it will be prejudicial to comment on the issue as it is already before the court.
“I don’t want to comment much on this matter. It is a matter that is in court. I am not supposed to say we are going to take this action or that.
“Let me, however, say that the Senate is an institution that respects rule of law and we will do everything and anything possible at to ensure that we comply with our laws.
“I believe we will come to the end of this situation,’’ he said.
In another briefing with newsmen, Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said that the senate was presently consulting to know what decision to take on the matter.
According to him, unlike other similar issues where the Senate did not hesitate to abide by court ruling, the Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District’s case is peculiar.
He said that the Senate was informed that there was a pending court case that would not allow it to swear in Etim.
“We have asked our legal team to carry out necessary enquiry to help us settle the matter but for now, the Senate cannot take a decision that will portray it as taking sides.’’ (NAN)