Abia PDP lawmaker-elect laments delays over his inauguration 5 months after court judgment
* Seeks Otti’s intervention
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmaker-elect for Aba North state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Aaron Uzodike, has lamented the continued delays in his inauguration five months after a court judgment in his favour.
Uzodike who addressed newsmen weekend in Umuahia, recalled that the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos which is the last bus stop in electoral disputes for lawmakers, had on November 27, 2023, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw the Certificate of Return previously issued to Hon. Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party, and re-issue same to him.
He regretted that the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, had refused to inaugurate him for yet-to-explained reasons even after INEC had in compliance with the Court order, issued him (Uzodike) with fresh Certificate of Return.
According to him, INEC issued him with the Certificate of Return on December 13, 2023, then on December 14, he proceeded to the Assembly complex with all the relevant documents including a Certified True Copy (CTC), of the court judgement, and a letter from INEC saying that the former occupant of the seat, Hon. Nwagwu had been withdrawn.
” I went to the House on that day with the expectation that the Speaker would inaugurate me but he didn’t do that till today.
” But after much pressure, the Speaker scheduled January 18, 2024 for my inauguration but unfortunately, he later communicated to me that the inauguration would not hold again indefinitely.
” Then I went to him in his office to find out why he postponed my swearing in indefinitely, and he told me he received ‘order from above’ not to swear me in.”
The lawmaker-elect who said he was not told the source of the said “order from above”, explained that there was no court orders restraining his inauguration from November 27, 2023 when the matter was decided in his favour till January 18 when he was to be inaugurated.
He, therefore, wondered why the Speaker refused to inaugurate him.
” But on January 19, the former lawmaker, Destiny Nwagwu rushed to Abia State High Court sitting at Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area, and filed a suit.
” He was not challenging my victory. He affirmed that he was no longer a member of the House but only said he was personally investigating my certificate.
” Then the Speaker through his Chief Press Secretary, later said he would not swear me in because of the suit filed by Nwagwu. But where it pained me most was that the the first hearing of the matter was fixed for March 5.”
Continuing, Uzodike who represented Aba North from 2019 to 2023 in the House of Assembly, said the suit was eventually discharged on March 19 after four adjournments as the plaintiff allegedly did not put up appearance.
“As at today, there is no suit pending anywhere in court stopping the Speaker from inaugurating me but I don’t know why he has refused to do the needful.
” I have formally written to the Speaker to inaugurate me. On April 16 I went to the House showing that I’m healthy and ready to do my job but the Speaker failed to do the needful”.
The lawmaker-elect, therefore, appealed to Gov. Alex Otti, to prevail on the Speaker to inaugurate in compliance with the court judgement.
He urged the Governor to show respect for the Rule of Law, arguing that his not been inaugurated should not be counted as part of the Governor’s First Year in Office achievements.
” I appeal to the Speaker to do the needful. I also appeal to the Governor to direct the Speaker to inaugurate me without further delays.
” There is no doubt that the Governor has done some good works and made good policies and he should be applauded. But he should obey the law.
” The work of the Assembly is beyond party politics. Interest of the state is paramount. My constituents are not being represented, and this is unfair.”
The lawmaker-elect further argued that it was the same Appeal Court judgment that brought in Senator Austin Akobundu (PDP), that also order that he be issued with the certificate of return, and wondered why he would not be sworn in.
Responding to insinuations that some traditional rulers from his constituency were making moves to ask the Speaker to declare his seat vacant over alleged health challenges, Uzodike said he was hale and hearty, dismissing such insinuations as unfounded.
He further said that three out of the five traditional rulers involved in the said move were not his constituents while two had been sick and out of public matter for a while, and could not have been part of the said move.
The former lawmaker while responding to a question, said he had made several moves to reach both the Governor and Speaker through stakeholders of the state but regretted that nothing fruitful had come out of the moves.
He, however, said he would not fall into the political trap of dragging them to court as the matter could be frustrated through ridiculous adjournments.
He said that as a man of peace, he would continue to appeal to their conscience to allow justice to prevail.