The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Aba, Abia State has berated the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa for what they termed a display of arrogance and complete disregard for the rule of law.
The Coalition reminded Emeruwa that he has no right or whatever not to recognize and inaugurate Mr Aaron Uzodike as the duly elected member representing Aba North state constituency, having been declared the winner by the Court of Appeal and given a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
New Telegraph reports that Uzodike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Destiny Nwagwu of the Labor Party (LP), contested in the 2023 general election for the Aba North State Constituency.
After the election, Destiny of LP was declared winner of the election by the INEC and was therefore issued with a certificate of return and not satisfied, Uzodike approached the tribunal to challenge the result that was declared by INEC which the tribunal ruled in his favour.
The court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, in the judgement it delivered on November 27, 2023, nullified the election of Nwagwu of LP and declared Uzodike winner of the election for Aba North state constituency.
The Court ordered for immediate withdrawal of the certificate of return earlier issued to Nwagwu of LP.
Ever since that judgement, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa has refused to swear in Destiny, stressing that the court did not ask him to do so.
The CSOs said that in compliance with the ruling by the Court of Appeal and the Independent National Electoral Commission, which has already issued a certificate of return to Uzodike, Emeruwa has no right to stop his swearing-in.
In a statement signed by Obinna Nwagbara, Executive Director, Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), Onyinyechi Nwosu, Executive Director of Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI) and Chuka Okoye, Executive Director of Centre for Human Rights And Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), Coalition said that Emeruwa is setting bad precedence that should not be allowed.
“With this, Mr Aaron Uzodike of the People’s Democratic Party became the duly elected member of Aba North state constituency and ought to have been inaugurated to represent the people of his constituency in the state house of assembly.
“It is therefore shocking and disheartening that seven months down the line, the representative for Aba North state constituency is yet to be inaugurated by the leadership of Abia State House of Assembly.
“We, a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Aba, Abia State have watched with dismay, the controversy surrounding the refusal by the speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa to inaugurate Mr Aaron.
“This display of arrogance and complete disregard for the rule of law by the leadership of Abia State House of Assembly is an affront to the good people of Abia State and Aba North state constituency in particular.
“It is a setback to democracy in Nigeria and a violation of the right of Mr. Aaron Uzodike as a citizen of Nigeria. It is an abnormality that should not be condoned further.
“That this is happening in the ‘New Abia’ is a source of worry to us as civil society actors in Aba, Abia State and to all lovers & adherents of democracy.”
The Coalition reminded the Speaker that he has no right or whatever not to recognize and inaugurate Uzodike as the duly elected member representing Aba North State Constituency, having been declared the winner by the Court of Appeal and given a certificate of return by INEC.
The CSO said that the inexplicable refusal of the Speaker to do the needful as ruled by a competent court of law in Nigeria is a befuddling negation of the gospel of the then opposition leader in the state, Dr Alex Otti who is today, the leader of the government in power in Abia State.
“Abia State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa is setting a dangerous precedence in Nigeria and we cannot fold our hands and watch him and his team add more problems to the already troubled democracy in Nigeria.
“As a coalition, we are therefore demanding that the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa should within seven (7) working days, beginning from July 2 to July 10, 2024, inaugurate Mr Aaron Uzodike as the member representing Aba North State Constituency in compliance with the ruling of the Court of Appeal on November 27, 2023 to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the state and to also save Abia State from further embarrassment.”
-New Telegraph
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