{"id":8195,"date":"2013-08-12T06:39:59","date_gmt":"2013-08-12T06:39:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/group-threatens-recall-of-rivers-lawmaker\/"},"modified":"2013-08-12T06:39:59","modified_gmt":"2013-08-12T06:39:59","slug":"group-threatens-recall-of-rivers-lawmaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/group-threatens-recall-of-rivers-lawmaker\/","title":{"rendered":"Group threatens recall of Rivers lawmaker"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2022 Abe flays police arrest of Amaechi\u2019s loyalists<\/strong><\/p>\n

A GROUP, the Rivers Progressive Committee, said it has initiated the process of recalling a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikwerre\/Emohua Federal Constituency, Andrew Uchendu, over poor performance and lack of effective representation. <\/p>\n

  Meanwhile, the Senator representing Rivers South-East, Magnus Abe, has condemned arrest of two political officers in Rivers State last week by the Police, describing the victims as political prisoners in their country. <\/p>\n

  Chairman of Omuma Local Council, Mr. Charles Amefule as well as the Assistant Secretary of Godspower Ake-led faction of the People\u2019s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Leo Anyanwu, were said to have been whisked away by policemen last week and remanded in Kuje Prison, Abuja.<\/p>\n

  Also, the Chief Godspower Ake-led PDP said the electoral victory of the party in Rivers State would dependent on Governor Chibuike Amaechi.<\/p>\n

   The President of the group, Mr. Franklin Wosu disclosed that they have already garnered 18,582 signatures in the move to recall Uchendu over poor performance and lack of effective representation.<\/p>\n

  Wosu in a statement issued yesterday said that the group after a meeting of constituency stakeholders at the weekend resolved to ensure that the ineffective lawmaker recall was a success.<\/p>\n

  \u201cThe recall process of the lawmaker started three months ago when it was discovered that he had not made any impact nor had he sponsored any bill. However, the decision to formally take action against him was reached when his recent comments on the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, exposed him as an anti democratic lawmaker, working with Governor Amaechi to promote All Progressive Congress (APC) activities in Rivers State,\u201d said Wosu.<\/p>\n

  He alleged that in just three days, 500 volunteers raked in the signatures because of Uchendu\u2019s unpopularity, who usually relies on the Government House to get re-elected. The group said that more volunteers are on board and work will intensify on the project.<\/p>\n

  \u201cWe are bringing him home, so that he can concentrate on his duty as a campaigner for Amaechi\u2019s APC and a village elder who is used to heap insults on people of importance. The Wike, he is insulting has attracted two federal e-libraries, a girl child school, a faculty of law building at UNIPORT, a complete rehabilitation of the school at Rumuipirikom and several projects at the State University of Education. What has Papa Uchendu done after 10 wasted years at the House of Representatives, except to shout aye or nay\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n

  The group reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the South-South political agenda exemplified by President Jonathan and Wike is driven to its logical conclusion.<\/p>\n

  \u201cRather than use uncomplimentary language on Wike, Uchendu and Amaechi should shop for a candidate among the unpopular few tied to the governor\u2019s apron string. Trying to use intimidation tactics won\u2019t work as the people must decide the future of Rivers State in 2015\u201d, the Rivers Progressive Committee affirmed.<\/p>\n

  In a statement signed by publicity secretary of the Ake-led PDP,  George Ukwuoma-Nwogba, in Port Harcourt, said   men and women wishing to win elections in the state in 2015 would depend solely on the finished work of the governor.<\/p>\n

  \u201cAmaechi, who\u2019s house is built on solid rock, the Ake group said the laudable achievements of our amiable governor is a win-win ticket for any aspirant in the state, the statement further described the Obuah\u2019s group as a sinking sound for any aspirant in 2015 election, they should be mindful that we \u2018re still in court and is not over yet,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

  Abe, who spoke to journalists Sunday, said the men were carried away without any information regarding their whereabouts for 48 hours.<\/p>\n

  \u201cFew days ago, Chairman of Omuma Local  Council in Rivers State, Mr. Charles Amefule and the Assistant State Secretary of the Ake faction of the PDP in Rivers, Leo Anyanwu, were kidnapped by the police and it was only  yesterday that we learnt they were brought to Abuja and taken to a Magistrate Court and charged with six-count charge of misrepresentation and remanded in Kuje prison. They are right now in Kuje prison.<\/p>\n

 \u201cSo, as we speak, they are political prisoners in Nigeria today. That is what this means because the offense to which they are charged has no relationship whatsoever with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).<\/p>\n

  \u201cThe foundation of this matter was that one of the five members in Rivers State House of Assembly who attempted to impeach the speaker by force and overthrow the government of Rivers State by force, wrote a petition to the police and the petition was minuted to whoever and policemen were dispatched to Rivers State to kidnap these young men, brought them to Abuja and they are now remanded in prison\u201d.<\/p>\n

   According to him, the manner of arrest, which denies victims opportunities of knowing reasons for their arrest and where they are being taken to, is nothing short of kidnap.<\/p>\n

  \u201cI call it kidnap because the procedure for arrest is that you should be informed of your offence, whatever it is and you should be allowed to inform your family or call your lawyer.  But these people were carried away. Nobody knew where they were taken to, nobody knew what they were charged with until we got to Abuja Magistrate Court and found out what they were charged with, remanded in Prison and the case adjourned\u201d.<\/p>\n

  The lawmaker also condemned later explanation that the men attempted to incite the public with the announcement of the suspension of the five members of the State House of Assembly.<\/p>\n

  \u201cThe allegation that by making an announcement, suspending the members, who attempted to impeach the Speaker and overthrow the government of Rivers State, they have incited violence or committed impersonation or whatever they are, are things that ordinarily, by common sense and by the operation of the Constitution, would have been tried in Port Harcourt and handled there.<\/p>\n

  \u201cThere was no need carrying them without informing their families of the reasons they were arrested and where they were being taken to. We were in panic for over 48 hours before the information came that they had been charged to court in Abuja\u201d, Abe explained.<\/p>\n

  While expecting the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate circumstances leading to the arrest of the people and their movement to Abuja Prison, the lawmaker called on Nigerians to rise in defense of the Constitution.<\/p>\n

  \u201cSo, I don\u2019t know whether we as citizens are watching what is happening in this country. It is not about Governor Amaechi, it is not about Rivers State, it is about the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If they are doing it today in Rivers State and we don\u2019t say anything, nobody says it is wrong, tomorrow, even some of the people who are doing these things, would themselves need the protection of the constitution,\u2019\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Guardian Newspaper<\/p>\n

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