Aba Ngwa People's Forum Urges Abia Speaker to Put an End to Selfish Politics After Refusing to Swear in Uzodike as Ordered by the Court | #NwokeukwuMascot

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Aba Ngwa People’s Forum Warns Abia Speaker to End Selfish Politics | #NwokeukwuMascot 

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 BY CHUKWUEBUKA OHIZU, UMUAHIA. 

The Aba Ngwa People’s Forum, a sociopolitical body of the indigenous owners of Aba City on Sunday advised the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa to avoid throwing Aba, the commercial hub of the state into crisis all in the name of playing partizan/selfish politics.

The group said that it is shocking and unheard of that Emeruwa has refused to swear in the Member representing Aba North State Constituency, Hon. Aaron Uzodike who the Appeal Court declared as the winner of the constituency election and subsequently issued with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Forum alleged that it has discovered that Emeruwa refused to swear in Uzodike because of his ambition to go to the House of Representatives in 2027, adding that the Speaker who hails from the same Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency as Uzodike sees the later as a threat to his political ambition.

They equally alleged that another reason the Speaker has refused to swear in Uzodike is to ensure that the ranks of the Labour Party (LP) in the State Assembly are not depleted to avoid an opposition party having more members to challenge the LP.

In a communique issued after its meeting on Sunday, 4th February 2024, at Osusu Aba Town Hall explained that Appeal, in suit no CA/OW/EP/SHA/AB/30/2023, delivered judgment on the 27th in favour of Hon. Aaron Uzodike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Destiny Nwagwu of LP.

The group explained that in compliance with the judgement, INEC had on 13th December 2023 withdrawn the Certificate of Return from Nwagwu and issued same to Uzodike, a situation it says the speaker is aware of as he had already been served with the Certified True Copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgement, and duly informed by INEC on 13th December 2023 that the Certificate of Return had been withdrawn from Nwagwu and issued to Uzodike.

The Forum who said that as a non-partisan and law-abiding sociocultural organization, it encourages the peaceful coexistence of Abia people and other Nigerians in Aba Ngwa land and equally believes in justice and fairness and will, at all times, called on the Speaker to end what it termed sacrificing of justice on the altar of selfishness and recklessness.

It stressed that it is shocking to everyone that Emeruwa who is equally an Aba Ngwa son and knows the political history of Aba will decide to disobey court order, ignore INEC rules and play politics by deliberately refusing to allow the people of Aba North to have a representative in the state Assembly.

According to the forum, “It is our duty to demand inclusivity for our people and to always hold all political leaders accountable, irrespective of their positions, political parties, or where they come from.

“We also have it on good authority that the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa, had fixed two previous dates for the swearing-in of Hon Uzodike Aaron, only to cancel it.

“While we, the Aba Ngwa People’s Forum, respect Emeruwa’s right to vie for or attain any political height he desires, we also want to advise him to go about it responsibly, justly and sportsmanlike.”

The Forum said that more troubling to it is that while the lawful owner of the Aba North seat is left in the lurch, the man who has long been sacked by the Court of Appeal has been illegally occupying the seat with the instrumentality and backing of the Speaker, thereby leaving Aba North State Constituency without a legally backed representative.

“This is official rascality taken too far, and it is only in Abia State that such illegality and rascality would thrive unquestioned. By using the Office of the Speaker to ensure and promote such brazen illegality and disobedience of court judgement, Emeruwa has abused his office and has reneged on the oath he took to uphold the law and justice.

“As a Forum representing all Aba Ngwa people no matter the name of the political party they belong to, we beg to ask Emeruwa this question and we urge all Abians of good conscience to join us and ask him the same question: If it were a member of the Labour Party that won the case, would Emeruwa deliberately disobey the court judgement as he is doing in this circumstance?

“We have carefully been watching the rascality playing out in the House of Assembly and seriously view the unlawful action of the Speaker as an invitation to anarchy. It is disheartening that the Speaker has drawn a clandestine plan to throw Aba and Abia State in general into civil unrest. Disobeying the Court of Appeal judgement is not only contemptuous but also an invitation to a crisis that is already brewing in Aba. Court judgements, right or wrong, must be obeyed, especially by one who is a lawmaker,” it said.

The Forum therefore reached a six-point resolution stating the following: “That as our brother and son, we are duty-bound to pray for and support Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, but will not fail to call him to order when he errs, of which the matter under reference is one of such.

“That we do not care whether Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa is being influenced, manipulated, and/or encouraged by a higher authority to foist such illegality on the good people of Aba North State Constituency, but so long as he remains the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, he shall be held responsible for the consequences of this illegality to this peaceful city of Aba.

“That we commend our brother, Hon. Destiny Nwagwu, and wish him well in his other endeavours, but will not fail to remind him that court judgements, whether perceived right or wrong, must be obeyed, and of course, there must be an end to every litigation.

“That Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa must stop  Destiny Nwagwu from usurping the seat and functions of the member representing Aba North State Constituency, having been sacked by the Court of Appeal on 27th November 2023.

“In the interest of justice and peace, Hon. Uzodike Aaron should be sworn in as Abia House Member, representing Aba North State Constituency within the next seven days, as we may not be able to forestall the crisis that may result from further delay. This also serves as a notice to security agencies that a crisis is brewing in Aba.

“That all the benefits accrued to the office of Aba North House of Assembly should  be given to Hon. Aaron Uzodike, for the effective discharge of his legislative duty,” they said.

SIGNED

Comrd. Chimezie Nwagba ( President ) 

Arch Chinedu Ahuruonye (Sec. Aba-ngwa) 

FOR ABA NGWA PEOPLES FORUM .