… Summons Deputy Governor to appear before house
By Okechukwu Jombo
Arising from the petition raised by a group known as the Concerned Ohafia Citizens (COC), Lawmakers in the Abia State House of Assembly have condemned the assault, arrest, and detention of the member representing Ohafia South, Hon Kalu Mba Nwoke by policemen attached to the Deputy Governor, Engr Ikechukwu Emetuh.
The lawmakers described the act as undemocratic and barbaric, they said such intimidation, harassment, and abuse of fundamental human rights by the Deputy Governor against an honourable member at the Ohafia Local government Secretariat on Saturday, 2nd of November 2024, during the local government elections is totally condemnable and unacceptable.
In a Matter of Urgent Public Importance raised by Hon. Godwin Adiele, a PDP lawmaker representing Ukwa West State Constituency, they described the action as very insulting to the State House of Assembly. They insisted that the house must summon the Deputy Governor to explain why he should use the security details attached to him to assault and intimidate a lawmaker for insisting that the right thing be done.
Hon. Solomon Akpulonu of the PDP Obingwa East State Constituency said the deputy governor grievously assaulted Hon Kalu Mba Nwoke, he described the deputy Governors action as condemnable and an affront on the entire Legislature and called for an unreserved apology to Hon. Nwoke and the whole of Abia state house of assembly, he called on the speaker to institute an immediate inquiry on the cause of the mishap.
They requested that the speaker should summon Engr Emetuh to appear before them and explain why he should use law enforcement agents to attack, assault, and bully an honourable member who was only exercising his constitutional right.
Some lawmakers who spoke to our reporter said the Speaker condemned the action of the deputy Governor and insisted that the matter must be given the attention it deserves. They expressed surprise that for the first time, the speaker is taking a stand in support of his colleague and hoped that he would insist on making sure that Kalu Mba Nwoke gets justice.
The spokesman of the Concerned Ohafia Citizens (COC) Hon chief Chidiebere Uwagwu, thanked the lawmakers for standing boldly in condemnation of the assault against an Ohafia son and representative, he thanked IPAC for speaking up in condemnation of the action of the deputy governor and Ohafia Monarchs for weighing in on the matter with the intention of having it resolved.
Chief Uwagwu said they would bring the matter to the notice of the State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police to bring the policemen who allegedly assaulted, manhandled, and unjustly locked up a lawmaker.
Recall that Kalu Mba Nwoke, an LP lawmaker representing Ohafia South State Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly was reportedly beaten up, injured, and illegally detained by Policemen allegedly on the orders of the state Deputy Governor at the Ohafia Local government Secretariat on Saturday, 2nd of November 2024, during the local government elections conducted by ABSIEC for demanding that election result sheets be made available for voters to inspect before the elections to avoid manipulation of results.