Opposition federal lawmakers under the aegis of G60 on Tuesday rose from an emergency meeting in Abuja describing the attempt by 23 former Local Government Chairmen in Rivers State to forcefully retain their seat after the constitutional expiration of their three years tenure as a treasonable act.
The group led by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere at a press conference held at the National Assembly, Abuja therefore called on the Rivers State Government to immediately prepare treason charges against the local government chairmen and their sponsors over the committal of the alleged act.
Hon. Ugochinyere who was flanked by Hon. Aliyu Mustapha (Kaduna), Hon Matthew Nwogu (Imo) and Hon. Midaila Usman(Bornu), accused the former LGA chairmen of breaching the provisions of Section 37 (1) of the Criminal Code Act, Section 39 of the Nigeria Police Act; Section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Code; Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 1(2) of the 1999 Constitution that frowns at anybody or group of persons that attempts to unlawfully occupy position of power in the country or forcefully attempt to take over government in any part of Nigeria.
He therefore called on the Judiciary to remain vigilant in curbing the activities of persons desperate to take over institutions of governance in Rivers State or any part of the country.
The lawmakers frowned at what they refered to as attempted treason organized by the former local government chairman who wanted to use magistrates/ judges from neighbouring states to conduct a kangaroo swearing in ceremony around 5am this morning despite the fact that their tenure expired since 17th of this month.
They applauded Governor Similaye Fubara and the citizenry in Rivers state for resisting the attempt by disgruntled elements to take over the administration of local government councils in breach of the law.
“We salute the courage of the Rivers state People who came out boldly to protect the local government and foil the attempt to unlawfully seize the institution of governance by the former chairmen,” he said.
“This heroic action is in line with section 20 of the administration of the criminal justice Act that empowers citizens to arrest and foil any criminal act being committed in their presence.”
“Section 39 of the Nigeria Police Act of 2020 states that ‘a private person may arrest a suspect in Nigeria who in his presence commits an offence or whom he reasonably suspects of having committed an offence for which the police is entitled to arrest without a warrant’.
“Section 37 Criminal Code Act (1) Any person who levies war against the State, in order to intimidate or overawe the President or the Governor of a State, is guilty of treason, and is liable to the punishment of death.”
“(2) Any person conspiring with any person, either within or without Nigeria, to levy war against the State with intent to cause such levying of war as would be treason if committed by a citizen of Nigeria, is guilty of treason and is liable to the punishment of death:
“Provided that nothing in this section shall prevent any act from being treason which is so by the laws of England as in force in Nigeria.”
In the same vein, the federal lawmakers hailed Governor Fubara for being democratic enough to have allowed the former Chairmen to complete the three years tenure without any disruption despite the provocative acts carried against him in the last few months, describing the failed attempt by former LGA Chairmen to hang on to power despite their tenure expiration as a failed coup against democracy that must not go unpunished.
