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Shortly before
midday yesterday, while the Senate was debating the draft amended
constitution, Joy Emordi, who then still represented Anambra North in
the Senate, received a call.

After the call, her
mood changed and she stood up, left her seat and went to the Senate
president’s podium. Mrs. Emordi spent close to seven minutes discussing
with David Mark, the Senate President. Her story held Mr. Mark’s full
attention while plenary was put on hold.

Thereafter, she picked up her hand bag from her seat and left the red chamber and went into the coffee room.

It turned out that
this was her last appearance in the chambers as a senator representing
Anambra North senatorial zone in the sixth session of the senate.

The Court of Appeal
in Enugu had yesterday in a judgment removed Mrs. Emordi and declared
Alphonsus Igbeke of the ANPP the winner of the seat.

Mrs Emordi has just
14-months to complete her tenure as senator which she assumed following
the general election of April 28, 2007.

The court led by
Justice Olakayode Ariwola in its judgement on Thursday held that she
was not the winner of the election into the Anambra North Senatorial
zone and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to
withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to her.

The Joy of the senate

“The Joy of the Senate” as she was fondly called by Mr. Mark, was a hard-line senator.

She always took
clear-cut stance on issues and was instrumental to the dumping of two
of the six constitutional amendment bills that was sent to the senate
by the president.

She had strongly
argued that the bills were poorly crafted and that it was arrogating
too much power to the president. She was also a strong advocate for
gender equality in government activities.

She headed the
senate committee on education, a committee she has chaired since 2005
when she came into the senate by a ruling of the court too.

In June 2008, her election into the current session of the senate was up held by the tribunal.

In her reaction to
the recent judgement, Mrs Emordi said that she respects the judgement
of the Court of Appeal and still believes in the judiciary.

“We will definitely miss her”

Grace Bent, (PDP
Adamawa state) who is her female colleague in the senate said, “It is a
big shock to us in the Senate and especially to the female senators.
Joy is one of our very vibrant and articulate and active female
senators who are well respected.” Mrs Bent however expressed optimism
that Mrs. Emordi will soon be back to the senate.

“The good thing about it is that she just have only one year to go
to the election year and it will give her time to go and start
preparing for the next election.”