Governor Liyel Imoke has admitted that he may have influenced the decision of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, APC to exclude the All Progressives Congress, APC from participation in the local government elections; when in answer to a question put to him at a media parley by the State Correspondent of Daily Independent Newspapers regurgitated the lame reasons CROSIEC had given to justify its undemocratic and draconian decision. The admission of Governor Imoke is to all intents and purposes scandalous and an indication that he has breached his Oath of Office to protect and preserve the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all Extant Laws of the Cross River State of Nigeria. It is trite that CROSIEC is established by Part iv of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 11 of the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2004, to be an independent Statutory Commission, vested with the responsiblilty for the conduct of local government elections in the State. In other words, CROSIEC is expected to be an impartial and neutral umpire in matters that falls within the scope of its statutorily responsibilities. However, events have proven beyond a shadow of doubt that CROSEIC is any thing but independent. CROSIEC has been hijacked by the Government of Cross River State under Governor Imoke and turn into an appendage of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Section 12 of the CROSIEC Law provides that in its discharge of its statutory responsibilities, CROSIEC shall not be subjected to the control and direction of any person or authority. The pressure exerted on CROSIEC by Governor Imoke to undemocratically exclude APC from participation in the local government elections in the State constitutes a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and CROSIEC Law. The Chairman of CROSIEC, Patrick Otu unsolicited called me on or about the 7th August 2013 to suggest to me that the Government of Cross River State and the Peoples Democratic Party is bent on stopping APC from participating in the local government councils in the State. Mr. Otu went further to suggest that APC should write to his Commission (CROSEIC) for extension of time for nomination of its candidates. I understand that Patrick Otu has denied calling me. However, I am ready to secure a Court Order to compel the MTN to release my call data between 6th August to 10th August to prove that the denial of Mr. Otu is an afterthought. When Mr. Otu called me, I immediately told three people from Cross River State who were with me in Abuja on that day. They are Honourable Alex Irek (Member of Cross River State House of Assembly); Cletus Obun and Chief Solomon Awa Iheka. I also challenge Mr. Otu to also consent to MTN releasing the call data of his phone between 6th -10th August 2013. I make bold to say that the interference of Governor Imoke with the functions of CROSIEC amounts to impeachable offence. I therefore call on the Cross River State House of Assembly to be alive to its constitutional responsibility and constitute immediately a Committee to investigate the role played by Governor Imoke in influencing CROSIEC to capriciously and arbitrarily exclude APC from participating in the local government elections purportedly conducted on 21/9/2013. Be that as it may, I know from the inner receses of my mind that the Cross River State House of Assembly is not alive to its constitutional responsibilities. The House of Assembly has abdicated its constitutional jurisdiction as a watch dog and a check on the executive branch of government. The executive branch of government under Governor Imoke has totally and completely emasculated the House of Assembly. The House of Assembly has more or less become a debating society. This is regrettable. Cross River State has been turned into North Korea. We now have a full blown dictatorship in the State. Even members of the Peoples Democratic Party admits that all the Chairmen and Councillors candidates of the Party for the local government elections were carefully handpicked by Governor Imoke and his wife! To add salt to injury, the elections purportedly conducted on the 21/9/2013 was a complete charade, a sham. I call on the people of Cross River State to arouse from their self imposed lethargy and slumber and condemn and oppose the attempt to foist on them a one man dictatorship, that is to all intents and purposes out of fashion.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Oct 2013 02:58:12 +0000
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