Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has carpeted the Cross Rivers State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade over allegations of playing politics with the recent case of the gruesome killings of five members of both the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Bendeghe Ekiem community, Etung Local Government Area of the State.
HURIWA condemned the killings of the party members and also expressed shock and disappointment with the State government for alleged selectively probing the remote and immediate cause of the dastardly act.
The group blasted the Governor for having allegedly maintained a shocking sense of insensitivity regarding the three other members of the APC who also reportedly lost their lives during the unfortunate fracass that resulted in the fatalities, including the ward leader of PDP, Ayuk Ogar.
HURIWA said it has watched with considerable shock and trepidation since over the last couple of months that “this incident occurred to see how the state government will handle this and similar other clashes in the State but asserted that from all indications, it would seem that the State Government has adopted a politically motivated approaches towards finding out the exact circumstances that occasioned the conflict.”
The Rights group accused amorphous groups with links to the Governor of blackmailing the Governorship Candidate of the APC in the 2019 governorship polls Senator John Owan Enoh and for spreading unsubstantiated innuendos and libellous allegations against him “even when he is not remotely connected to the parley in Bendeghe Ekiem Community which led to the slaughtering of members of both the PDP and his own APC.”
HURIWA said any sinister plot to turn the investigation and prosecution of persons allegedly fingered in the conflict to an avenue for political vendetta and blackmail against the governorship flagbearer of APC in the last election Senator Owan will amount to an unmitigated disaster and an injustice of incalculable dimensions which must never be allowed to happen.
“As committed patriots, we will approach the National Human Rights commission to bring to their notice the ugly scenarios of the unconstitutional decision of the government of Cross Rivers State to use the sad incidence in Etung Local government Area Council to witchhunt the perceived political opponent of the Governor only because there is the perception in the governor’s camp that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration may consider on merits the person to appoint as the ministerial cabinet holder to represent Cross Rivers State,” HURIWA stated in a statement to DAILY POST on Sunday signed by its National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko.
“We have decided to table a three points demands to the National Human Rights commission to constructively mount pressure on the Nigerian Police Force and the Cross Rivers State governor to adhere strictly to best global practices even as there is the urgency of the now for an independent commission of Inquiry to uncover remote and immediate circumstances that surrounded the violence that occasioned the killings of 5 supporters of both the Peoples Democratic party and All Progressives Congress.
“Our basic concern is that nobody should be witchhunted for not belonging to the same political family as his State governor.
“As an organisation that has worked for decade plus some years we can confidently state that the greatest act of injustice that happens often in the states of the Federation is the tendencies of the governors to see themselves as demi-gods of their territory and they manifests the ugly attributes of harassing or intimidating any independent or dissenting voice that does not believe in the same political ideology as some of these governors who think they are Emperors who are above the laws.
“We will petition the National Human Rights commission to draw their attention to the injustice that is about to happen under the watchful eyes of the Cross Rivers State governor who as a former University don ought to follow the due process of the law and respect the fundamental human rights of all the citizens irrespective of the political divisions or affiliations which is at the core of the nation’s grund norm.
“HURIWA has learnt that four suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of the Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Bendeghe Ekiem community , Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, Mr Ayuk Ogar and four others reportedly.
“Mr Orgar and the others were reportedly killed in Bendeghe during an alleged gun duel between supporters of the PDP and the All Progressives Congress. The clash occurred shortly after leaders of both parties in the area signed a peace pact to ensure violence -free elections. It was gathered that several others sustained injuries during the clash and were treated at the Ikom General Hospital,” he added.
HURIWA, however, said that the Cross Rivers State Governor “needs to be reminded of his constitutional oath of office which he swore to be fair and just to all manner of people and to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended) which in section 36(5) privided for fair hearing just as the Rights group stated that Section 33(1) which mandates and obliges the respect for the Right to life of all citizens must be applied to all citizens notwithstanding the political divisions or affiliations. It therefore faulted the selective investigation of the clash in which there are claims and counter claims that persons belonging to the PDP and PDP were killed.”
HURIWA specifically reminded Governor Ayade that section 36(5) of the Constitution boldly affirms that “in the determination of his civil rights and duties, including any question or decision by or against any government or authority, a person SHALL be eligible to a fair hearing…”
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