The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has expressed anger over the six-month delay in the inauguration of Hon Aaron Uzodike, who was re-elected as the member representing Aba North State Constituency in the 2023 elections.
The party said the inauguration was unduly delayed despite the issuance of a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on December 13, 2023, following a court order.
In an interview with journalists in Umuahia, the Vice Chairman of the PDP in Abia, Abraham Amah, condemned the failure of the Abia State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon Emmanuel Emereuwa, to inaugurate the re-elected lawmaker, even as time was running out.
Amah described it as an infraction on democratic principles, given that members of other political parties who were declared winners by the Court of Appeal have been inaugurated. He stressed that Aaron Uzodike might be the only one from the last election who has not been inaugurated out of all the politicians who contested and won.
According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission issued a Certificate of Return within one week in compliance with the directive of the Court of Appeal, after it was proven that Aaron Uzodike won the election.
Amah said, “It is a government that creates room for checks and balances. Are you aware that one of the cases handled by the Appeal Court involved a member of the state House of Assembly, representing Aba North State Constituency? This is almost more than seven months after the Court of Appeal gave judgment in favor of Aaron Uzodike.
“Seven months later, the government has yet to allow Aaron Uzodike to be inaugurated in the House of Assembly. So, what type of government is that?
“If you look at the center, they have inaugurated the non-All Progressives Congress members who were declared winners by the same Court of Appeal in the lower and upper houses, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. Even when such declarations were against the interests of APC, those persons have been inaugurated.”
It was, however, recalled that the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emereuwa, disclosed plans to swear in Uzodike as a lawmaker.
Emeruwa stated this during a press briefing as part of activities marking one year of the 8th Abia House of Assembly, explaining that the various legal interventions instituted by the contenders to the position, Uzodike and Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party, were instrumental to the delay.
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