Group faults arraignment of Bayelsa speaker by CCT
Akam James, Yenagoa
The Association of Bayelsa Professionals (ABP) has faulted the decision of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to arraign the Speaker of the Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson over alleged abuse of office.
In a statement signed and issued to newsmen on Wednesday by the Secretary General of the group, Dr. Jasper Timiebi, the body called on the tribunal to resist the pressure of being used as a tool to witch-hunt and persecute perceived enemies by those in the corridors of power.
Timiebi appealed to the leadership of the CCT to protect its image and resist pressure from politicians to use the tribunal to fight their personal battles.
He alleged that investigations by the group indicated that the lawmaker, representing Brass 1 Constituency in the Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Sunny Goli, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was behind the recent plan to arraign the speaker and others for alleged abuse of office.
According to him, while the body of Bayelsa professionals would not delve into political disputes, it was however, opposed to acts that were deliberately designed to undermine the peace and stability of the state.
He called on the CCT leadership to investigate the allegations made against the speaker and the three others in order to arrive at the truth which should guide the decisions of the tribunal.
Moreover, Timiebi said that it was immoral and ridiculous for such political elements to use the CCT as a battle axe against political opponents, who have made serious sacrifice for peace, stability and development of the state.
Timiebi said that the lawmaker had been paid all his entitlements by the leadership of the House and lacked the moral credentials to cry wolf where none exist, adding that the APC lawmaker was only on a mission to seek prosecution and persecution of the speaker and the three others for political reasons inimical to the interest of Bayelsa state.
The ABP scribe urged the leadership of the CCT to halt the impending arraignment of the speaker and others to avoid sending out the wrong signals that members of the opposition PDP were being persecuted because of a lawmaker from the APC.
