By Emeka Samuel, Uyo
The chairman of the Cross River Basin Development Authority Board,
Barr Eseme Eyibo has called on the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom Assembly
Barr Oniofok Luke to reverse his decision vacating the membership of
APC lawmakers in the House if the lingering crisis in the Assembly to
be brought to an end.
Eyibo who is also the Spokesperson of the Akwa Ibom state APC
governorship campaign council maintained that the Speaker acted in
error also faulted him for declaring the seats of the other four
lawmakers vacant even when judgment was yet to be passed on their
cases.
The former National Assembly member told a press conference in Uyo
yesterday that the Speaker’s action amounted to a rape on democracy
because the legislature remained the mother of democracy.
“The Speaker should have been able to separate activism from lawmaking
and by allowing himself to be influenced by Governor Udom Emmanuel in
that matter meant that there is actually no guarantee of the
independence of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
“Aside from that, the Speaker has no constitutional backing to declare
those five seats vacant because of he was aware of the motion for stay of
execution because he was aware of the arguments of the lawyers in
court.
“He is also at fault in his application of Section 109 because when
the member for Urueoffong Oruko defected there was no crisis in the
party but meanwhile when the APC lawmakers defected from the PDP the
party was undergoing a merger and they said that they don’t want to be
part of the merger.” Eyibo explained.
He said that the APC remained a law-abiding party as they obeyed all
court instructions when the courts removed Governor Emmanuel and
Senator Bassey Albert both of the PDP when they lost at the courts
after their elections.
He stressed that the governor is merely trying to intimidate and
discourage other lawmakers who want to defect to the APC by
influencing the Speaker into taking an unpopular and unlawful decision
and denying the APC lawmakers of their entitlements and privileges in
the House.
Eyibo further faulted Emmanuel’s visit to the Assembly and accused him
of misusing the talents of the youths of the state.
“It was wrong for the Governor to use his instincts. It is also wrong
for him to use youths who ought to b in school to attack our lawmakers
and while he is complaining of Warsaw war, he should also remember his
threat to unleash Akwa Ibom youths on Barr
Ita Enang after he participated in a radio programme.” He said.
