By Jerry Emmanson
Nigerian Ex-Legislators Forum (NELF) has condemned what it described as the growing spate of anarchy, lawlessness and anti democratic posture being promoted by the erstwhile Governor of Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu who was recently removed by the court in Abuja.
Speaking in Abuja, Audu Bala Kuta a member of the House of Representatives from Niger State in the second republic and National Chairman of the Forum said the sheer brigandage demonstrated by the wife and son of former Governor Theodore Orji to kidnap the Chief Judge of the State and preventing her from performing her constitutional functions is an attempt to return Nigeria to the garrison politics of Amala which the late Adedibu once practiced.
He said, “it is appalling that Ikpeazu who has not been able to pay salaries could draw as huge as 2.1billion naira from the treasury of Abia State in just one Dayan the detriment of the suffering masses of Abia all in a desperate attempt to procure another judgement from a would be pliant jurist that will deliver a kangaroo judgement.
“He should be reminded that the judiciary has been properly strengthened and no amount of money is enough for anyone to buy the learned men in Nigeria. Let him return the money back to the treasury.
“That part of the desperate maneuvers to remain in power is the mobilization of IPOB, BIAM, MASSOB and some elements of Avengers to forment trouble in Abia State on Monday after declaring a state of emergency in the state at a time that he had lost the constitutional authority to do so”.
He said the forum completely aligns with the position of learned legal luminaries who have dissected the judgement whose interpretations are not unambiguous, saying there is a clear distinction between a notice of appeal and stay of execution is not negotiable and any further attempt by Ikpeazu to continue to hold the people to ransoms should draw the full wrath of the law.
He said, “The forum is aware that Ikpeazu who is on the seat to cover the track record of some past officials is acting the script of a few to hold an entire state to ransom”.
