Herman Hembe, ousted member of the House of Representatives, says he cannot muster the means to refund the salaries he received in office because he has no savings, having spent it all on family upkeep.

Hember, who said this in an affidavit he deposed to on Wednesday, begged the Supreme Court to set aside the order that he should return all salaries and allowances he enjoyed while illegally occupying the Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State seat at the lower chamber.

He said that he had paid the N700,000 awarded against him in favour of Dorathy Mato, who was pronounced authentic winner of the election, but added that it has become extremely difficult to make the other repayments as ordered by the court.

“I have tried very hard to raise a loan to enable me comply with the above order of the honourable court, but have not yet succeeded,” read the affidavit.

“This honourable court in its judgement declared the primaries conducted by the 2nd respondent from 7th to 10th December, 2014 null and void and this granted the appellants relief four in her originating summons as reproduced in the judgement’s of this honourable court

“The court in its judgement struck out the appellants grounds of appeal numbered 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, as well as the appellants issues 2 and 3 in her brief of argument and issue 2 of my brief of argument, the issues having been distilled from grounds of appeal that had been struck out…

“I have in compliant with the judgement of this Honourable Court paid the total sum of N700,000 awarded against me and in favour of the appellant/respondent as costs.

“… I vacated the National Assembly the day after the judgement was delivered, stopped attending parliamentary sessions and removed all my personal belongings from the legislative chamber/office.

“I have, however, been unable to refund the salaries I received from the House of Representatives. The salaries were received monthly and were used for the upkeep of my family and the high cost of living made it impossible for me to have any savings.

“I have tried very hard to raise a loan to enable me comply with the above order of this Honourable Court, but have not yet succeeded. I will comply with the order of this Honourable Court as soon as I am able to raise the money. I need to add that aside my monthly salaries, I did not receive any allowance or other emoluments as a member of the House of Representatives.

“I am applying to this Honourable Court to set aside the consequential orders made against me.”

The Supreme Court sacked Hembe on June 23, and ordered that Mato, the appellant, should be issued a certificate of return by INEC and be sworn in immediately.

Calculations by ICIR showed that Hembe is expected to return a total sum of N47,670,086 to the Federal Government within 90 days.

However, more than a month after the judgement, Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, is yet to swear in Mato to replace Hembe.