They want to secretly try me for criticising govt' , Abia opposition lawmaker cries out

Spread the love

‘They want to secretly try me for criticising govt’ , Abia opposition lawmaker cries out

* Count Ikpeazu out of it – CPS

By Steve Oko

The Leader of the opposition All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA in Abia State and member representing Aba South State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Obinna Ichita has raised alarm, claiming that the State Government has perfected plans to try him secretly in court for being critical of government’s deficiencies.

According to the lawmaker, his only offense against those after him is his continued condemnation of the deplorable condition of road infrastructure in his Aba constituency.

He claimed that the state government had tried but without success to suppress him from speaking out against its inability to fix failing infrastructure in the state especially in the commercial city of Aba.

But in a swift response, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, distanced his principal from any such plot which he dismissed as “ridiculous”.

The opposition lawmaker in a statement on Thursday claimed that the suit before a High Court in the state with suit no. A/182/2021 was instituted against him by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Charles Esonu while he (Esonu) was the Special Assistant to the Governor of the state on Special Duties at the time the suit was instituted against him.

It read in part: “We received strong and credible intelligence information that there was a secret suit filled against me by the Abia State Commissioner For Youths Development, Barr. Charles Esonu in a suit no. A/182/2021. and his statement of claim, he said that he was the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties.

“He is praying the court to make an order for me not to talk about the state of roads in my constituency and for me to pay him N200m for the damages that he incurred as a result of my talking about the state of roads in my constituency.

“The main thing is that I was not served. My office is known in the House of Assembly and my constituency office is also known, but I wasn’t served.

“They went and told the judge that they made application for substituted service; that they were going to serve me at the constituency office which the court granted.

“But instead of serving me at the address, they went and hid the document elsewhere, where somebody discovered it and notified us. Our lawyers have confirmed that and have taken the necessary steps in that regards.

“They also want the court to order me to pay them 200 Million Naira as damages for talking about bad roads in Aba south, the constituency I was elected to represent.

“The suit was filed by Charles Esonu, Abia State Commissioner for Youths, he listed the Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment as one of his witnesses.

“Ha choro ikpe m ikpe azu?!

“It is interesting that instead of utilizing the money (over 56 Million US dollars ) that Abia State government received from the World Bank for flood mitigation project in Aba, Abia State government officials are secretly asking the High Court of Abia State to order me to stop talking about abandoned and dilapidated roads in my constituency.”

The lawmaker however, vowed never to be cowed from speaking out in the interest of his constituents and democracy.

“My duty (as a lawmaker) is provided for by the constitution which I know is superior to other laws in Nigeria.

“This cannot deter me because when we talk about the state of our roads, it is not politics, but reality. You cannot access any of those road projects that made the World Bank release $56million intervention to the state.

“There is no single road in my constituency that is accessible; from Port Harcourt to Ohanku, Obohia, Omuma, Ihieorji, Uratta.”

“I don’t represent the Youth Commissioner, I represent the good people of Aba South State Constituency who have asked me to continue to talk about the state of roads in their constituency and they are the only people who I take instructions from.

“Apart from security challenge as a result of the deplorable nature of roads in my constituency which has prevented security agencies from patrolling in my constituency due to the nature of roads in my area, in the event of fire outbreak, the fire men do not have access roads to come and attend to fire in my constituency during such emergencies.

“People that have businesses in my constituency including traders at Orie Ohabiam market, Nkwo Ngwa, Omuma road, Obohia etc can no longer do their businesses the way that they used to do because of lack of patronage as people access their business premises to patronise them.

“We also have health challenges because of the mountainous refuse opposite National High school on the Port Harcourt road is a potential breeding ground or an epidemic outbreak.

“It is very worrisome that even though that the State House of Assembly has passed a resolution asking the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) to evacuate the mountainous refuse, they are yet to do anything there.

“We can no longer visit our kith and kin because of the deplorable road that has cut us off from each other,” said Ichita

In his response to the claims by the APGA lawmaker, the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka said dissociated the governor from the allegations.

His words: “I am not aware of any such plans by the State Government.

“I speak for the Governor of Abia State and I know for sure that no such thing is on his mind. It even sounds ridiculous to try a member of the House of Assembly for some so called outspokenness?

Share on Facebook

Save

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.