The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Akwa Ibom state, has said the All Progressives Congress’, APC, view of the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly was jaundiced and exposed its ignorance of the law.
A statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the APC was turning a constitutional matter, the defection of legislators, into a political issue.
He said: “The statement clearly exposed the level of ignorance of the law by members of the hierarchy of that political contraption called the APC. They see the issue of legislative defection as a political issue, No, it is a legal, in fact constitutional issue. As at the time the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke declared the seats of the former lawmakers vacant, there was no legal impediment, by way of an injunction or any other prohibitive relief fettering his capacity to discharge that constitutional responsibility. When in his statement, Okopido referred to the Speaker as a former Speaker, we wonder who is the current speaker, by his estimation.”
Ememobong said the APC should be ashamed of “the humongous disgrace that they have brought to the name and image of our state; having made us a laughing stock in the nation through their very vapid, infantile and unfortunate display of ignorance of constitutional provisions and legislative practices.”
Read the full statement below.
We, like other Akwa Ibom people have read a statement credited to the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress conveying their customary jaundiced view and perspective to the current APC-instigated crisis hovering around the state Assembly.
The statement clearly exposed the level of ignorance of the law by members of the hierarchy of that political contraption called the APC. They see the issue of legislative defection as a political issue, No, it is a legal, in fact constitutional issue. As at the time the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke declared the seats of the former lawmakers vacant, there was no legal impediment, by way of an injunction or any other prohibitive relief fettering his capacity to discharge that constitutional responsibility. When in his statement, Okopido referred to the Speaker as a former Speaker, we wonder who is the current speaker, by his estimation.
The APC should be totally ashamed of the humongous disgrace that they have brought to the name and image of our state; having made us a laughing stock in the nation through their very vapid, infantile and unfortunate display of ignorance of constitutional provisions and legislative practices. We will continue to highlight this show of unbridled madness to the world . Additionally, we will leave this time tested advice to the chairman and entire members of the APC, “it is better to keep quiet and be presumed a fool, than to open your mouth and confirm it”. Obong Attah’s book is available to the public for reading. It has been widely suspected that the leadership of the APC do not read, as evidenced in the litany of illogical arguments they have churned out on almost every topic of discourse. If the chairman, Mr. Ini Okopido did not refer to Obong Attah’s book and wrongly allocate a the postulation by the editor of the book to Obong Attah, the world would not have confirmed the veracity of their suspicion. Incidentally, the difference between a person who doesn’t read and one who cannot read is negligible. Addressing the substance of the postulation, ours is a government in progress, with tangible evidence of good governance available for all who WANT to see.
We cannot force people to see what they do not want to see, or even when they have seen, refuse to acknowledge the sight of it. Well, we will be consoled by the sight and testimony of the Learned Vice President of Nigeria and Chieftain of the APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo who saw the great strides of the Udom Emmanuel led government and poured deserving encomiums. Maybe the allocation of sight in the APC is according to the level of education and exposure-we sincerely sympathise with those who by reason of their low education and exposure have been denied sight. The many industries that are operational in our state, the food security and affordability, the new schools ( military, navy, technical), the state of the art hospitals, excellent road network among other numerous projects delivered by the Udom Emmanuel administration are not visible to the opposition, because seeing and acknowledging them will kill their already dim political chances- such blindness is understood.
READ ALSO: Gov. Emmanuel using A/Ibom Assembly crisis to cover up poor performance – Okopido
On the issue of the commissioner of police, when their national chairman complained about the CP, he wasn’t being flippant, but when a Governor complains with evidence about the partisanship of a CP, he’s being flippant. Isn’t this hypocrisy? Well the world is aware that members of the APC are devout hypocrites, who view everything from the prism of partisan disposition. We will completely ignore, in this release, the attempt to drag Senator Akpabio out for bashing. This, we know is a calculated and conscious attempt by Mr. Okopido to further subject the embattled senator to further opprobrium. We will rather let him come over the technical Knockout issued by sobowole in Obong Attah’s book and the many unfavorable reactions that have chased him from Facebook . The APC should desist from using the former Governor as their canon fodder, he deserves a lot more from them (truly a man’s real enemies are members of his household).
In March Akwa Ibom people will unreservedly show the APC that propaganda and evil motivated plots do not and will not win elections. They will elongate the tenure of their Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel who has in his reign brought peace and stimulated prosperity. They will reject any attempt to take them back to the inglorious days when fear strolled on four legs in our state.
