A non-governmental organization, Lawyers for Equity and Justice, in Akwa Ibom State has said “Events of the last few weeks in our dear State have not only been ridiculously dramatic, but have also threatened the hard earned peace which had hitherto enveloped Akwa Ibom as a State over the last three years. This is no thanks to the combative All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the major opposition party in Akwa Ibom.”
The organization made this known through a statement signed signed by the Convener, Chief G.O. Effiong, and the Secretary, Barrister Godwin Idoho, saying “The party is truly living up to its threat of making the hitherto peaceful State ungovernable and further unleashes its notorious Federal might on the State and its people. This threat which many undermined is systematically executed before our very eyes. The recent siege on the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly by men of the Nigeria Police Force, purportedly on orders from above is not only a rascality taken too far, but an assault on our hard earned democracy.”
“To further expose the level of absurdity that bedevils our political landscape and the display of ignorance on rampage, the five constitutionally sacked former members of the State House of Assembly are said to have broken into the hallowed legislative Chambers with the aid of armed policemen, held a kangaroo legislative session, ‘impeached’ the Speaker and elected one of them as the new ‘Speaker’”
“Such actions by men who are presumed to know the law makes a caricature of our legislative system. No wonder there has been a dearth of people oriented legislation in the country with such characters as legislators. To further rub salt into injuries, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in the State is said to have organized a press conference where the State Chairman expressed delight at the emergence of his party member as the “new speaker” and called for a State of emergency to be declared in the State which has been voted, adjudged and declared the most peaceful State in the country.”
“As laughable and illogical as such assertion may sound, it further ridicules our political class and portends a grave danger for our democracy. We totally condemn the infamous call made by Mr. Ini Okopido and hold the strong view that he and other members of the APC State Working Committee do not fully appreciate the workings of democratic doctrines and are enemies of our democracy.”
“It further reveals a total disregard for the rule of law and smacks of mischief that people who had ceased to be members of the House of Assembly can criminally trespass into the Chambers of the Assembly and purportedly meet and take a decision and believe it is legal. No reasonable man can give credence to such balderdash. Assuming without conceding that they were still members of the House as at when the five of them met, such plenary will still remain an aberration as the Supreme Court in Inakoju v Adeleke per Niki Tobi, JSC as he then was had stated emphatically that “…. no factional meeting of any members of a State House of Assembly can amount to a constitutional meeting of the whole House of Assembly as envisaged and provided for in the Constitution.” The sacked former legislators were on a frolic of their own.”
“There is no doubt that Nigeria today under the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been turned into one theatre of the absurd where governmental institutions are daily desecrated on the altar of partisan politics. This is the only reason the sacked former members with thugs can storm the hallowed Chambers of the Assembly under the protection of the Police and wreck havoc. As at date, to display the so called Federal might, security agencies in the State are now pawns in the hands of the APC to the extent that within a period of three years, like a child will toss a yoyo ball, ten different Police Commissioners have been deployed to Akwa Ibom State, just to satisfy the Presidency and its acolytes. While condemning the action of the Police in Akwa Ibom State led by the current Commissioner, Ahmed Kimo, who obviously was posted to Akwa Ibom State to execute a hatchet man’s job, we join our voices with that of other well-meaning Nigerians to call on the Inspector General of Police, who has shown much partisanship, to redeploy Mr. Kimo out of Akwa Ibom State as he is an enemy of democracy and a promoter of anarchy. We further call on President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in his anarchist party members who are out to undermine the peace in Akwa Ibom State and orchestrate a breakdown of law and order.”
