A former member of the Abia State House of Assembly, Aaron Uzodike, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Alex Otti, to intervene in his delayed inauguration as the duly elected representative for the Aba North State Constituency.
Uzodike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, claims that he was re-elected in the March 18, 2023, state House of Assembly election for Aba North.
However, his inauguration has been stalled despite a Court of Appeal ruling in his favour.
“On the 27th of November, 2023, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos sacked the Labour Party candidate, Destiny Nwagwu, as the elected candidate for Aba North State Constituency and declared me the authentic winner.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) issued me with my Certificate of Returns on the 13th of December, 2023, as ordered by the Court, which I submitted to the state House of Assembly for inauguration,” Uzodike stated.
Despite his efforts, Uzodike claims that the Speaker of the House, Kingsley Emeruwa, has refused to inaugurate him.
“The Speaker told me that I would not be inaugurated, and when I asked him why, he said, ‘I have an order from above,’” Uzodike revealed.
While Nwagwu filed a suit at the state High Court in Obehie, Ukwa West, challenging Uzodike’s certificate, the matter was dismissed on March 19th after four hearings.
“As at today, there is nothing pending anywhere in any court in this Abia, in this country, Nigeria, even in West Africa, even in Africa as a whole, even on the whole world stopping Mr. Speaker from inaugurating me,” Uzodike asserted.
Uzodike has written formally to the Speaker requesting his inauguration and has presented himself to the House, ready to assume his duties.
“I am calling on the governor as the father of the state, as one who plead the rule of law, to allow the rule of law to take place. The Speaker should do the needful,” he appealed.
Extending his plea to the President, Uzodike said, “I am pleading with the President to prevail on them to do that.”
Uzodike denied reports of being asked to cross over to the Labour Party, stating, “You don’t call a dog while holding a whip,” and citing existing laws on cross-carpeting.
Getting the Speaker was not possible even as his Chief Press Secretary, CPS Oke Ujo, said the Speaker was not picking up his calls, adding, “I have no statement to make as I have been away for some time.”
All efforts to reach the Deputy Speaker, Austin Nmeregini, through phone calls and text messages, remained abortive.