Tony Osauzo, Benin
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State has suspended Vincent Uwadiae from the party for his continued absence from sittings at the House of Assembly.
Uwadiae was elected to represent Ovia North East Constituency II and he is among the 14 lawmakers-elect who are yet to be inaugurated.
The suspension of Uwadiae was contained in a letter addressed to state APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua and signed by the party Chairman in Ovia North East, Etinosa Ighodaro and other party executive memberss.
The party had, in the letter, accused Uwadiae of making the people lose adequate representation during plenary at the Assembly.
“We reject the continued absence of Uwadiae from the Edo Assembly and call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence the process of his recall as elected member representing Ovia North East East.”
Meanwhile, following rising wave of insecurity across the state, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin branch, has called for the declaration of state of emergency on security in the state.
The association in statement by its Chairman and Secretary, Collins Ogiebaen and Pius Oiwoh respectively, disclosed that about eight lawyers and judges have been abducted across the state within the last nine months, with the most recent, being the abduction of Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, on Wednesday.
Consequently, the association gave the state government 72 hours to secure the release of Nwosu-Iheme.
The lawyers vowed to shut down all court proceedings in the state should the law enforcement agencies fail to secure the release of the judge.
It condemned the worsening security situation, lamenting that armed bandits and kidnappers have laid siege in the entire state.
They called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, overhaul the security architecture of the state.
“Security of life and property is the responsibility of government. Our judicial officers must also be given adequate security in their homes, work place and on a journey. Lawyers and, indeed, other citizens must be adequately protected.
“You will recall that about a month ago, the bar called off the boycott of courts in respect of cases of armed robbery and kidnapping which were in force since April 17, 2019.
“The resolution leading to the boycott was prompted by the rising trend of kidnap of lawyers and other indigenes of our dear state and the rampant incidences of armed robbery which needed a declaration of a state of emergency in our state,” they said in the statement.
Nwosu-Iheme, who is the chairman of the Edo Appeal Panel to entertain petitions arising from the judgement of national/state assemblies elections, was on Wednesday morning abducted by gunmen in Benin and her police orderly killed in the process.