Lawyer and public commentator, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has called for the arrest and trial of the acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Mr. Tony Okocha, for allegedly committing a treasonable offense.
Okocha had urged the 27 APC lawmakers in the state House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, a move Ahiakwo described as treasonable.
In a statement released in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, Ahiakwo expressed his dismay, stating, “It is vexatious to hear Tony Okocha describe the Rivers State Governor as a dunderhead. It is even more annoying to hear Okocha calling on ‘lawbreakers’ to initiate the impeachment process against the Executive Governor of Rivers State.”
Ahiakwo argued that Okocha’s statement was inciting and could lead to public disobedience. He pointed out, “Those Okocha supposedly referred to as Assembly members had ceased to be legislators after they moved from PDP to APC. It is not the Governor that said they don’t exist but the Constitution of Nigeria.”
Highlighting the lawmakers’ lack of meaningful legislative action, Ahiakwo stated, “Apart from sponsoring bills to give life to their already dead political structure like the very unpopular and unconstitutional extension of the lifespan of local government area chairmen in office, there are no meaningful and/or people-orienting bills that have been moved to benefit the masses.”
He also clarified, “As they are known for circumventing the laws of Nigeria, let it be on record that the Chief Judge of Rivers State will never and can never be part of any form of illegality perpetrated by the lawbreakers masquerading as House of Assembly members.”
Ahiakwo warned Okocha and his party leaders against misquoting and misinterpreting laws to suit their interests, insisting that the Governor must uphold the spirit and letter of the constitution.
