Federal lawmakers operating under the aegis of G60 have described the failure of the 23 local government council chairmen in Rivers State to hand over after the expiration of their tenure on Tuesday as treasonable.
The lawmakers, who convened an emergency meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, said the LG bosses should be arrested.
The G60, led by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, at a press conference, called on the Rivers State Government to immediately prepare treason charges against them.
Among those who attended the press conference addressed by the representative of Ideato North and Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State were Hon. Aliyu Mustapha (Kaduna), Hon. Matthew Nwogu (Imo) and Hon Midaila Usman (Borno).
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The lawmakers accused the former local government chairman 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 constitution that frowns at anybody or group of persons attempting to unlawfully occupy a position of power in the country or forcefully attempting to take over government in any part of Nigeria.
Ugochinyere said: “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.
“This heroic action is in line with section 20 of the Administration of 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.”
The G60 hailed Governor Siminalayi Fubara for being democratic enough to have allowed the former chairmen to complete their three-year tenure without any disruption despite the provocative acts carried out against him in the last few months.
According to the opposition lawmakers, the failed attempt by former council chairmen to hang on to power despite their tenure expiration is “a failed coup against democracy that must not go unpunished”.
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