From John Okiyi Kalu
Public Forum
Since November 2023 that the Appeal Court removed Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party as lawmaker representing Aba North State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, and declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon Aaron Uzodike, as the validly elected representative of the constituency, the removed Labour Party member has functioned as if nothing happened. The Speaker of the state assembly, Rt Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa, has also not swear in the PDP member, who, by virtue of the Court of Appeal judgement, should be in office as the lawmaker representing the federal constituency.
Conversely, similar situation involving PDP led government in Plateau State and APC/LP legislators was recently resolved in favour of those who won at the Appeal Court because PDP believes in the rule of law, not that the party necessity agrees with the ruling. But our LP Governor, Alex Otti, and the leadership of the party have continued to hang onto the gross abuse of our constitution in their newly acquired Abia empire where one man decides right or wrong.
It is difficult to believe that the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly has flagrantly and blatantly thrown our laws under the bus without a word from the national leader of the Labour Party and acclaimed democrat, Mr Peter Obi or any of the LP leaders who daily flaunt their so-called democratic credentials before television cameras and social media platforms but turn a blind eye to acts of totalitarianism being perpetuated by LP leader and sole administrator in Abia State.
It is laughable that the same Speaker and his governor who are products of the law have gloriously denied the people of Aba North a deserved representation in the state house of assembly where the collective resources of Abia State are appropriated every day. Yet, the state is collecting huge internally generated revenue from the same Aba North, which is possibly the premier LGA in Abia State.
When Speaker Emeruwa received the Certificate of Return and the Certified True Copy of the Appeal Court judgement in favour of Hon Aaron Uzodike of PDP, he reportedly minuted on the file that he be sworn in on December 18, 2023. But when Governor Otti allegedly learnt of the development, he reportedly directed otherwise. Unfortunately, the Speaker who is from Uzodike’s neighbouring constituency of Aba South obeyed without considering the consequences and how posterity will judge him.
The latest excuse for not inaugurating Uzodike is that the Appeal Court Judgement never directed the Speaker specifically to inaugurate him. And I ask, did the ruling that affirmed victory of Speaker Emeruwa specifically order anyone to inaugurate him? Did the judgment in favor of Otti at the Supreme Court give specific orders to the Chief Justice of Abia?
The law expects that those ordinarily charged with performance of a lawful duty will do so without further specific directive. Does the Speaker know that inaugurating new members is in his ordinary job description? If Speaker Emeruwa cannot perform the task of inaugurating new members like Aaron Uzodike, why has he not resigned? Why will the appeal court make specific orders when in law the Speaker is the person ordinarily expected to implement the required action? To think that the Attorney General of Abia State does not know that no specific orders are required to perform ordinary duties expected of one is most disturbing. Our Justices of the Appeal Court must not be dragged into satisfying the whimsical and capricious bidding of inherently despotic political actors.
Just like Emeruwa, I hope our Attorney-General, Ikechukwu Uwanna, knows that this illegality is being perpetuated by the Speaker is destroying his own growing career, and that one day, he will answer to his peers and the National Judicial Council (NJC)? Long after Alex Otti is out of power, there surely will be peer inquest into why an Attorney-General supported the desecration of the law and gross disregard for the judiciary.
How will AG Ikechukwu Uwanna rate himself after all this unwholesome episode? Will he still be proud of himself or will he live in regrets thereafter?
The group that has by far shown the highest level of cowardice are the so called leaders and stakeholders of Aba North State Constituency. Not even one person among them has dared ask questions on why they are not being lawfully represented at the legislative branch of government because they are apparently afraid of offending the governor parading as democrats in the state.
Where are the leaders, elders and stakeholders of courage in Aba North LGA? Are there still men who urinate while standing or has the Emperor cut off the balls of all Aba North men? God forbid that great men of yore suffer mass castration because of politics. Even the incumbent member of the Federal House of Representatives and Senator covering the people of Aba North are all mute in seeming helplessness in the face of this entropy.
Aside from Sir Chikwe Udensi who has shown exemplary courage in speaking truth to power, others have hibernated and will most likely rear their cowardly heads at the next election cycle when they will start running from pillar to post with promises of providing democratic leadership to the people.bBut for now, the silence can continue!
The people of Aba North State Constituency, where I reside, are now being dealt with by the powers-that-be in the state and nobody seems to be courageous enough to challenge the situation. One wonders how these same leaders will face the people during the campaigns in 2027!
Amazingly, a group of former Speakers of Abia State House of Aseembly recently visited Governor Alex Otti without even one of them summoning the balls to ask him why the Aba North seat has remained vacant or illegally occupied.
Before the hirelings of Otti begin to verbalise inanities as a response, they should remember that when the House passed the bill repealing pensions for former governors of the state, Otti and the government in Abia went on a victory lap to radio and television stations in the country. They forgot the dictum of separation of powers because there was PR capital to be made out of it but now that there is PR deficit to be made they should not attempt to smartly come to tell us the governor does not know what is happening there.
Dear Governor Alex Otti, kindly direct the Speaker, Emmanuel Emeruwa to immediately inaugurate Aaron Uzodike as member representing the good people of Aba North State Constituency. What you are doing to the people of that constituency is wrong before God and the Law. You are a product of rule of law and should be seen to be upholding the rule of law at all times, including when it inconveniences you. You swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and carry out your duties as governor without fear, favour or ill-will towards anyone. This is the time to walk the talk!
The bad precedence being set today by the governor will hurt generations if he does not reverse himself immediately. He should not wait for public protests by the people of Aba North before he does the right thing.
If not for any other reason, he should do it for the sake of Mr Peter Obi, the national leader of his party: his actions are making genuine democrats question Peter Obi’s democratic credentials beyond what he says and writes on X (formerly Twitter).
I used to know Obi personally as a democrat but the actions of Otti as governor under the banner of LP and his silence is creating doubts in my mind and in the minds of others who believed him as a democrat since as the National Leader of LP and a regular public affairs commentator, he should have condemned Otti’s actions long ago.
As a resident of Aba North State constituency, I am particularly irked by the current state of affairs because I can not file a petition to the assembly against multiple taxation and harassment from revenue agents of the state government since nobody is representing the constituency as of today.
Mr Governor Sir, even if you as usual deny involvement in the ongoing rape of democracy and rule of law in Abia State House of Assembly, what stops you from publicly demanding that Speaker Emeruwa follow the laws of the country and inaugurate Aaron Uzodike to represent the people of Aba North? Do not wait for the people to force you through tough civil actions, including protests, before you do the right thing. Avoid a situation where you would have to resort to issuing your usual press releases of “24 years of PDP” over matters that are purely your doing.
Governor Alex Otti should do the right thing today before posterity comes to retrieve debts from him. Karma is real even in politics and those cheering him on today will not be there when tomorrow comes with his name being dragged in the mud as a despot.
• Chief Kalu if former
Commisioner for Information, Trade & Investment, Abia State
