Ex-Rep Etim storms Senate to take over Akpan’s seat

A former member of the House of Representatives, Bassey Etim, yesterday stormed the Senate demanding to take over the seat of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (PDP, Akwa-Ibom North-east).

A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo had in February sacked Senator Akpan from the Senate, on the grounds that he did not participate in the primary election of the PDP for the Akwa Ibom North-east Senatorial District ahead of the 2015 election.

The court said Etim, who won the primaries, should be sworn-in immediately and INEC had already issued him a Certificate of Return.

Speaking to newsmen, Etim, who came with people from Akwa-Ibom North-east Senatorial District, expressed dismay that his swearing in was being delayed.

“I got the judgement on 27 of February, 2017 and INEC had complied and issued me with the Certificate of Return as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I have been coming here consistently without positive response from the Senate,” he said.

Etim added that the leadership of the Senate should have sworn him in in view of the court judgment.

“The swearing is the business of the leadership of the Senate and it ought to have done that since. It’s like somebody is trying to deny me my seat, “he said.

But Senator Akpan said there was no valid order for the swearing in of Etim at the National Assembly.

A statement by his Senior Legislative Aide, I. S. Utuk, said the Certificate of Return issued to Etim by INEC was in defiance of an order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.