The Civil Society Organisations forum in Akwa Ibom state has called on lawmakers and those involved in the crisis engulfing the state house of Assembly to thread with caution warning that further unrestrained acts would plunge the state into anarchy.
The State Chairman of CSOs, Mr. Harry Udoh stated this at a press conference following the crisis that rocked the state house of assembly for more than one week.
According to him, “The Akwa Ibom State CSOs Forum (CSOs) has watched with disapproval recent events in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly,
“We call on all actors involved in this crisis,
particularly those aggrieved, to heed the voice of reason as lawmakers should not be seen as breaking the law.
“Both parties should respect the rule of law and conduct themselves in a manner that does not detract from
the sanctity of the legislature as a key institution of our democracy.
“We also note with concern that the leadership of the Assembly has not acted with fairness in the matter of
declaring vacant the seats of Members who recently defected.
“Considering that sometime earlier, a Member had moved from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the seat was
not declared vacant, it is curious that the current scenario is playing out as a result of a defection from the PDP to the APC. It is trite the saying that those who seek equity must go with clean hands, and what is sauce for
the goose, is sauce for the gander.”
He therefore urged the Assembly leadership to do the right thing by applying principles of equity, fairness and justice to this matter, irrespective of political party.
Udo further urged the politicians to avoid heating up of the polity even as the political campaigns have been flagged off adding that such might undermine the smooth conduct of the 2019 elections as well as disrupt the peace of the state.
He also said the CSOs forum has been informed of ploy by some authorities to redeploy the Akwa Ibom state Independent Electoral Commissioner of INEC Mr. Mike Igini saying that they would not allow any attempt to railroad the 2019 elections through arbitrary change of RECs.
His words, “it has come to our notice that there is a grand design to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Mike Igini.
“It is clear that certain elements are not comfortable with a REC that has a pedigree of integrity and probity, and has expressed commitment towards the conduct of transparent elections. Civil society in the state frowns at any attempt to railroad the 2019 elections through any arbitrary change of Resident Electoral Commissioner.”
