Umar Imam-led faction is in breach of Rule of Law – Hon. Egwu

 

Member representing Idah/Ibaji/Ofu/Igalamela/Odolu federal constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Makoji Egwu has described as unfortunate, flagrant disrespect to the rule of law by the Umar Imam-led faction by continuing to hold plenary despite Upper Legislative Chambers’s directive that the Assembly be sealed for purposes of peace.
He noted that the implication is that it would continue to widen opportunities for peace, stressing that those appeared to be learned were those breaking the laws.
“First and foremost, that I come from Kogi State, it’s so painful that the rule of law is being breached in my State. I want to say categorically that it is not the wish of any learned personality to do what is not in consonance with the law especially when one is elected through a democratic means”, he noted.

Egwu added that the action falls short of respect for democracy and abuse to constituted authority, cautioning that if democratic structures were destroyed, how would they be in that office in the first place?
“If you abuse democratic laws that brought you to power, it then means we are encouraging anarchy”, he emphasized.
He wondered what may be upper most to Politicians than service to the people, while stressing that despite spirited effort by the House of Representatives at the initial stage of factionalisation through matters of urgent national interest, which was moved by Hon. Karimi on the floor of the House and subsequent intervention, yet the crises refused to abate.

According to him, there was a report of Chief Whip of House of Representatives that the State Assembly be sealed and taken over by the Upper Chambers, instead of taking sides with any faction to enable time for peaceful negotiation which he said, was in line with House Rules.

“At the beginning of the crises, a colleague of mine, Hon. Karimi raised issues of urgent National interest and based on that, a Committee which was led by the Chief Whip was detailed on fact finding. Their recommendation was that the institution be sealed and taken over and that is what the National Assembly did in accordance with the laws,” he said.
On the purported directive by the Attorney General of the Federation vacating National Assembly’s ‘sealed off’ order, Egwu maintained that a Committee headed by the House Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has been constituted to investigate the matter.
He reminded the warring factions in the State Assembly to sheathe their swords in the interest of democracy, even as the electorates were watching them with negative implications.