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Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The member representing Billiri/Balanga Federal Constituency of Gombe State in the House of Representatives, Mr. Victor Mela, has urged his constituents to remain calm following a court case regarding technicalities that led to his victory in 2019 general elections.
The member had been accused of by the Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja for lying under oath while filling form CF001, a form set out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for politicians who won the primary elections of their respective parties.
According to the lawmaker, he had informed INEC and the general public of the mistake he made while filling the form, he said: “There was a question that says, have you acquired citizenship of another country, I thought the question was not directed to a Nigerian by birth, I thought it was for a Nigerian by registration, so we answered no, our lawyers later said that we should go to court and make an affidavit to make sure that we are covered, whether the question is for a Nigerian or not.
So, we went to a court, did an affidavit and published it on the dailies, I said, I have the citizenship of Canada, I let the INEC and whole world to know that I have that citizenship,” Mr. Mela said in an interview with newsmen on Friday in Gombe.
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He added that the court action is nothing that would distract him from standing and delivering good governance while representing his people. He said: “In politics, you can spend so many years going to court, since I was declared the winner of this election, I have been taken to 5 court cases and I have been winning, so this one that is happening is not a new thing for me”.
While urging his people to be calm and committed to one Nigeria the lawmaker added saying: “this is not about changing my seat for somebody, because nobody is going to take my position, I am the member representing Billiri/Balanga federal constituency, they can only make the noise and go to court.
“When you finish an election there are only two courts that can take your seat or sack you and this is not one of them,” Mr. Mela said while explaining that it is either the tribunal or the court of appeal and that any other thing after the two courts is about hatred and blackmail.
The presiding judge had set a date for the sentence of the lawmaker who is presently the vice-chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, after finding guilty.
