Court sacks Benue assembly member

THE Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, on Wednesday, sacked a member of Benue State House of Assembly, Mr Mathew Ire, representing Oju 2 state constituency, for illegal substitution by   the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako,  he declared that  the PDP primaries was breached on illegal process by substituting the name of the actual winner of the primaries with Ire, who did not score the highest votes as the  winner.

Justice Nyako held that Ire  be removed from his seat immediately and directed that  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), should as a matter of urgency, withdraw the certificate of return from him.

She also directed INEC to as matter of urgency,  issue  certificate of return to Adigwu.
Report indicated  that Ire had contested the PDP House of Assembly primaries on November 29, 2014 alongside Agi Micheal Adigwu and Jairus Erube.

In the PDP primaries, Ire, who was declared winner scored 10 votes while Adigwu (plaintiff) polled 11 votes and Erube got five votes,  while  PDP declared Ire, the winner of the primaries.

Ire ,however, won the general election and was  issued the certificate of return by INEC.
Following the perceived injustice, Adigwu proceeded to court to  challenge the emergence of Ire.