CLO warns politicians against heating up polity in A/Ibom

Isaac Job, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom state chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) on Tuesday cautioned political parties and politicians in the state against making utterances capable of inflaming the polity and breaching the already existing peace.

It stated that the clamour for the resignation of the Chairman of the National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Akwa Ibom state, Justice Jennifer Ijohor, by the All Progressive Congress (APC) is coming too late and capable of fuelling political tensions in the state.

The state APC Chairman, Ini Okopido had at a press conference last weekend, called for the resignation of Justice Ijohor, on grounds that she would not be objective in her judgement on petitions before the tribunal.

Okopido said as wife to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in Benue state, Anthony Ijohor (SAN) under a PDP administration, there will be a conflict of interest in the discharge of her duties.

Reacting to the comments, Chairman of the CLO, Franklin Isong, in a statement in Uyo, advised political parties and politicians in the state to allow the tribunal free hand to carry out it functions.

He said any politician not satisfied with the judgement delivered by the tribunal can thereafter, seek redress in a higher court of law.

“It is our considered view that the call for the resignation of the tribunal chairman by the APC is coming too late as it can heat up the polity and degenerate into political tension in the state.

“Our concern is that the way and manner political parties and politicians are approaching their matters before the tribunal, if not checked, can cause avoidable political crisis.

“The CLO wishes to advise that all parties that have matters before the tribunal to allow the tribunal to adjudicate on the matters and anyone that is not satisfied with the tribunal’s judgement at the end of the day, still has a right within the law to go on appeal to a higher court, instead of resorting to public statements that can politicise the judiciary and bring its image to disrepute,” it advised.

Isong also advised media practitioners in the state to remain unbiased in their coverage of the sittings and proceedings of the election petition tribunal in the state.