The Abia State Peoples Democratic Party PDP has condemned what it described as a recurring hostile disposition of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emereuwa to established institutions of democracy, particularly the Judiciary and Journalists.
The PDP said its observation is coming on the heels of information that the Speaker on Thursday June, 27, 2024, sent out a journalist Mr Kingsley Chibuike of the Enyimba Television and Radio Aba from a press briefing at the House of Assembly Complex without any explanation.
In a statement issued by its Vice Chairman/Acting Publicity Secretary Abraham Amah, the PDP also expressed concern that the Speaker had earlier restrained journalists from asking questions relating to his refusal to inaugurate Hon.Aaron Uzodike the PDP member-elect for Aba North state constituency, seven months after being declared winner by a Court of Appeal.
The PDP said that intelligence at its disposal authoritatively revealed that the actions of the Speaker may not be unconnected with concerns he had earlier voiced in some quarters that Enyimba TV and Radio were giving him and the state Government unfavourable coverage.
The Party expressed worry that the Speaker is gradually descending into dictatorship, instead of standing up to defend the independence of the legislature.
“The Abia PDP has observed the recurring hostile disposition of the Speaker of the Abia state House of Assembly Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa towards established institutions of democracy, especially the judiciary and journalists who are members of the fourth estate of the realm and the real watch dogs whose responsibility it is to protect our democracy.
“Today Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, in an unheard of act in the annals of Abia’s democracy, sent out a journalist Mr Kingsley Chibuike of Enyimba TV and Radio, from a press briefing at the House of Assembly Complex without any explanation.
“Information available to the PDP revealed that Mr Chibuike was asked to leave the venue of the press briefing by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker Mr Henry Madubuike on the order of the Speaker.
“The Abia PDP is concerned that the Speaker who had earlier restrained journalists from asking questions relating to his refusal to inaugurate Hon.Aaron Uzodike of the PDP, member representing Aba North state constituency ,seven months after the Court of Appeal restored his mandate ,could go so low as to exhibit ,such a callous, insensitive and dictatorial tendency of sending out a journalist from a press briefing.
“Abia PDP intelligence authoritatively revealed that the actions are not unconnected with concerns he had earlier voiced in some quarters that Enyimba TV and Radio were giving him and the State Government unfavourable coverage ,especially on the station’s insistence that the Speaker should provide the court injunction restraining him from him swearing-in Hon Aaron Uzodike as he is claiming,and also because the media station had scored the 8th Assembly under Emeruwa low for passing only five bills into law in an entire year.
“We are even more concerned that Emmanuel Emeruwa is gradually descending in to dictatorship ,instead of standing up to defend the independence of the legislature as enunciated by the framers of the principle of separation of powers.
“The last time we checked, Emmanuel Emeruwa had not lived up to his responsibility of checking the excesses of the state Governor Dr Alex Otti, who rides roughshod over the legislature ,but he tries to muscle the press into submission”, part of the statement reads.
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