The Human Rights Writers’ Association, HURIWA, has rejected the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, choice of Senator Akpabio as the incoming Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
HURIWA, through their national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, expressed their stance to journalists in Owerri.
They emphasized that the selection of Akpabio was unconstitutional and contradicted principles such as checks and balances, among other reasons.
According to HURIWA, “The Human Rights Writers Association” (HURIWA) strongly believes that the President of the 10th Senate, doubling as Chairman of the 10th National Assembly of the nation, which will be inaugurated on June 13, 2023, must, like Caesar’s wife, be above suspicion.
“The central driving mantra and foundational philosophy on which the ruling All Progressives Congress sold its presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, now President, to Nigerians, was “Renewed Hope.” Nigerians bought into it and voted the Asiwaju and APC to power because it deeply resonated with the populace.
“Strangely, against all logic of inclusive consultation and the imperative of taking the right first steps of building a promised new Nigeria anchored on “Renewed Hope,” the APC, allegedly with President Tinubu’s blessing zoned the Senate President’s position to the South-South and further micro-zoned it to Senator-elect Godswill Akpabio. This unconstitutional decision offends the legally binding principle of checks and balances amongst the tiers of government and is an egregious and irreparable violation of the constitutionally guaranteed principle of independence of the legislature”.
“As a preeminent and prominent good governance-oriented human rights organization sworn to fighting corruption and human rights abuses in Nigeria and on the continent, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), totally rejects the alleged choice of Senator Akpabio as a preferred candidate for President of the 10th Senate. On the scale of integrity and morality, he is the wrong choice,” HURIWA said.
They alleged that, “As Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs of Akpabio performed woefully in the way he administered Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.”
