Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation on Monday commended the resolutions of the southern governors in Asaba and advised that each governor should back the decision with the law in their respective state.
The state CLO in a statement by its Chairman, Franklyn Isong and Secretary Christopher Ekpo, called on the respective governors to initiate bills to their state Houses of Assembly without delay.
The statement also condemned the killings of police officers and attacks on police facilities in the state and also called on Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to address the demands of the Parliamentary Staff Association in the state by implementing a relevant section of the 1999 Constitution in order to end the lingering strike which impedes the process of this legislation.
The statement reads in part, “We commend the courage of 17 governors of the southern states of Nigeria and urge the governors of the respective states to follow up this decision by forwarding Bills to their respective Houses of Assembly to that effect.
“To this end, CLO urges the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel to resolve the ongoing strike of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria by implementing section a section of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended) so as to bring an end to the strike that has crippled activities in the State House of Assembly. This is with a view to enabling the state governor to send a Bill to the House of Assembly for a law to prohibit open grazing in Akwa Ibom.”
The statement commended Akwa Ibom State House Assembly for tackling insecurity through various security bills now before it and implored the state governor to assent to these bills without further delay.
On justice for the slain job seeker, the CLO vowed to monitor the investigation and subsequent prosecution of the case in the interest of the deceased, bereaved family and society.
“We pledged to monitor closely the investigation and prosecution of the case in the interest of the deceased, her family and the society,” the state added.
The statement charged the public to avail the police with useful information that could further aid the law enforcement agency in its investigation on the matter and warned against the publication of sensational materials capable of distracting such Investigation of the heinous crime.
