Press Statement: Illegal And Unconstitutional Sealing of Anambra State House of Assembly Complex by the Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command

Our attention has been drawn to “Press Release” trending on the social media purported to have emanated from Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command and signed by one SP Haruna Mohammed, PPRO, Anambra State Police Command.

May we use this medium to commend the Nigerian Police Force for living up to their responsibility of maintenance of peace, order and security in Anambra State and in the country at large.

Having said that, we are surprised to read in the said “Press release” that Anambra State Command were requested by the leadership of the Assembly to take over, seal off and secure the entire premises of the Assembly”.

For the records we state as follows:

1. The leadership of Anambra State House of Assembly ably led the Speaker Rt. Hon. Ikem Uzoezie, followed by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Barr. Harford Oseke, the Majority Leader, Rt. Hon. Victor Jideofor Okoye and the Minority Leader, Hon. Onyebuchi Offor and others, did not at any time requested Anambra Police Command to take over, seal off and secure the entire premises of the House of Assembly as well as order the civil servants to Report to Head of Service.

2. It is on record that there was no incident or resemblance of any crises that occurred among the Honourable members or within the premises of the Anambra State House of Assembly to warrant the leadership of the House to request you to takeover, seal off and secure premises of the Assembly.

3. It is therefore illegal and unconstitutional for Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State command to purportedly take over; seal off and secure the entire premises of the Anambra state House of Assembly under any guise of all except as provided under the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

4. Assuming without conceding that there was crises among the Honorable members or within the premises of the Assembly, it is only the National Assembly that is constitutional empowered to make such an order for the seal off by inline of section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. Even when there seems to be any issue to warrant the making of such order, by the provision of section 11(5), the National Assembly cannot make such an order unless and until the situation is such that House of Assembly can no longer hold meetings and transact business.

5. Interestingly, you are very much aware the Honorable members held their normal meetings at the Assembly on 15th November, 2018 with over 25 Honorable members in attendance, including the former speaker Hon. Rita Maduagwu (who for obvious reasons refuse to join us), and thereafter the Honourable Members in company of the New Speaker addressed the press. There was no crisis or any semblance of breach of public peace among the Honorable Members or within the premises of the House of Assembly.

6. It is important to note that the minor change in the House Leadership by the removal of the former Speaker Rt Hon. Rita Madugwu on Tuesday 13th November, 2018 by over 2/3 majority of members( 25 Hon Members in attendance) was within the constitutional powers of the House and there was no crises whatsoever following as a result of that. Following her removal, the House unanimously elected Rt. Hon. Ikem Uzoezie as their new Speaker.  Thus having been so removed, she seizes to be Speaker of the House. Such matters remains the internal affairs of the House of Assembly, if anybody has any reservation whatsoever with her removal, the person should go to court for the determination of such issue.  This is in line of the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended. The Executives or Police has no powers at all to interfere in the proceedings or functions of the House using the apparatus of the State.

7. It may also interest you to know, and of course it is public knowledge that the House had resolved on several occasions to remove the Rt. Hon. Rita Maduagwu as the Speaker for sundry acts of malfeasance, gross incompetence, financial impropriety, rumour mongering selfishly orchestrated by her to cause disaffection between His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano and House of Assembly to say the least. In all those occasions, it was His Excellency himself that brokered truce and prevailed on the members to suspend action while it is expected that the former Speaker would change and desist from those conducts that gave rise to the quest to remove her. On the last occasion when the members were bend on her removal, it was His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano that pleaded with the members to suspend action because as he reasoned that it was close to his second tenure election. In order to convince the Members to suspend action he guaranteed the members that the former speaker shall resign that immediately after his second tenure election, so as to enable the House move forward.

8. Anambra State House of Assembly remains the most peaceful State Assembly in Nigeria and that position has not changed. There is therefore no existing or likelihood of any possible breakdown of law and order in the Assembly to warrant your illegal action to take over, seal off and secure the entire premises of the Assembly or to order the civil servants working in the Assemble complex to vacate and report to the Head of service.

9. In the light of the above stated facts, we are therefore compelled to state that, it is therefore wrong, illegal, and unconstitutional for the Nigeria Police Force Anambra State command of any other security agency to purportedly takeover, seal off the entire House of Assembly Complex as well as to direct civil servants working at the Assembly Complex” to report to the office of the head of such purported actions and directions.        This act of the command amounts to abuse of office and executive lawless because they have no such powers or rights to meddle with the business of the State Assembly.

10.  We want to make clear that the new Leadership of House of Assembly will continue to work together to further deepen the existing cordial relationship between the House, Nigerian Police Force/ security agencies and the Executive ably led by our ever working Governor, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano to enable him to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to Ndi Anambra.

11. We want to make it clear that Mr. Pius Udoh, the Clerk of the House is in no way a member of Anambra State House of Assembly and as such is not mandated to make press statements concerning the proceedings of the House. This remains the core duties of the Chairman, House Committee on Information. 

We therefore, condemn in STRONG TERMS the illegal and unconstitutional actions of Nigerian Police Force towards Anambra State House of Assembly and urge the public to condemn the attack on the symbol of DEMOCRACY in Anambra State.

Rt. Hon. Ikem Uzoezie
Hon Speaker,
Anambra State House of Assembly.
Mon Nov 19, 2018