Umahi’s govt has no power to declare a citizen wanted —Ebonyi PDP

The Ebonyi chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday accused Dave Umahi’s All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of flagrant abuse of power over the manhunt for Mr Linus Okorie, a former member of the House of Representatives.

This was contained in a statement issued by Chief Tochukwu Okorie, the Ebonyi PDP state chairman, at a press conference in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

Ripples Nigeria gathered that the former lawmaker is wanted by the Ebonyi government for allegedly breaching the state’s Cyber crime law over a purported inciting facebook publication.

According to Tochukwu, the Governor has no constitutional right to declare a citizen wanted as this is tantamount to a disrespect of the law.

The PDP said: “The governor in flagrant abuse of power and in the negation of the provisions of the Constitution has declared Mr Linus Okorie, a prominent Nigerian and chieftain of our party wanted.

“This, again, is an eloquent pointer to the grave danger Ebonyi and Ebonyi people face; the Nigerian Constitution and the criminal justice system clearly outlined the procedure for declaring an accused wanted.

READ ALSO: Ebonyi PDP accuses Police, state govt of witch-hunting opposition

“There is no where in any laws of Nigeria or any place that states that government or its officials are given such powers.

“This particular declaration as announced by Mr. Uchenna Orji, Commissioner for Information is a ploy to have Okorie murdered on the pretext that he is evading arrest.

“We want the world to know that should anything happen to Okorie, that it’s premeditated, organised, and orchestrated by the government.”

The opposition party further implored President Muhammadu Buhari and the lawmakers to intervene in the crisis before any further breakdown in security.

“We further call on Mr President, National Assembly, and the international community to intervene and halt the imminent breakdown of constitutional democracy in Ebonyi,” Okorie said.

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