Abia APGA cries out on an alleged move to gag only lawmaker in State Assembly.
By Chijindu Emeruwa, Abia.
The main opposition All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), in Abia state has cried out on an alleged attempt to gag its only lawmaker and member representing Aba south Constituency at Abia House of Assembly, Hon Obinna ichita.
The latest alarm by the Abia chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), was on the backdrops of the recent court injunction secured against the lawmaker by the State Director of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (Newmap), Mr Izuchukwu Onwughara, on behalf of himself and the State Government.
It could be recalled that Hon Obinna Ichita had been at loggerhead with the present government of Abia state over his consistent criticisms on policies of the government.
The Aba South lawmaker had severally accused the state government of negligence and insensitive to plights of the people, the Infrastructural deficits and backlogs of salary arrears and entitlement owed to workers and Pensioners in the Abia workforce.
However, while alarming the general public on the alleged move to arm-twist the legislator, the Abia APGA chapter, in a worded statement signed by the State Chairman, Reverend Augustine Ehiemere and issued to journalists in Umuahia, the state capital, on Tuesday, claimed that Ichita is being persecuted because he has consistently questioned the whereabouts of the 27. 4 billion that Abia State Government received from the World Bank for construction works in Aba.
The State Party leadership frowned what it termed “desperate attempts by the Abia government to use the machinery in the state to intimidate and obstruct the Abia lawmaker from discharging his constitutional and legislative functions as a legislator.
The APGA in Abia State regretted the move, describing the development as undemocratic and against best democratic practices that the government of Abia State will resort to using the instrumentality of the Executive to stop the legislature, which is another arm of the government from performing its legislature functions. A
The Abia APGA queried why an ordinary civil servant will file a suit on behalf of the State Government when the office of the Attorney General is there as the Chief Law Officer of the State and who is the only constitutionally recognized officer to institute any legal proceedings on behalf of the Government.
Continuing, the Abia leadership, “this clandestine plan and exhibition of gross abuse of power have further exposed the State Government on her desperation to stifle, strangle and emasculate the voice of opposition in Abia State, which all Abians must resist and condemn.
“It sounds ridiculous and petty that the only reason Government wants to silence Hon. Obinna Ichita is because he has been very consistent in demanding on behalf of his constituents for good governance and dividends of democracy.
“He has consistently queried why Government has refused to construct roads in his constituency which includes Obohia, Ngwa Road, Ohanku, Port Harcourt roads etc, even when the State Government admitted receiving the funds for the constructions of these roads,” the party leadership.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance, Abia chapter, however, informed the world that the government of Abia state is employing undemocratic and unconstitutional strategies with the sole aim of frustrating Hon Obinna Ichita from carrying out his legislative duties.
The State APGA leadership further called in members of the press, civil society organizations, human rights activists, lawyers, activists for good governance and lovers of democracy in Abia state and Nigeria to rise to the tasks in a united front.
