By: Felix Ikpotor
The uproar generated over the refusal to swear-in some opposition lawmakers in Bayelsa is taking a new dimension daily.
The latest is coming from the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) who yesterday urged the Bayelsa state House of Assembly to swear in three opposition lawmakers-elect since they have won their cases at the appeal court.
Presiden of IYC, Mr Udengs Eradiri, made the call at a meeting with newsmen in Yenagoa.
He condemned the exclusion of the opposition members-elect after receiving their certificates of return from INEC.
Eradiri said the elcted lawmakers, Alfred Belemote (APGA-Brass 2), Gabriel Ogbara (ADC-Ogbia 2) and Gibson Munalayefa (LP-Ogbia 3) were yet to be sworn into the assembly two months after securing victory at the appeal court.
The IYC boss said the continued exclusion of the three lawmakers-elect was unfair and injustice to the constituents they represented.
His words: “The non-swearing in of the three members-elect who are Ijaw people and Bayelsa people has become a matter of concern.”
“I call on the leadership of Bayelsa assembly to swear them in as a matter of justice.”
“Information at our disposal indicates that they already have their certificates of return. It is injustice to them and their constituents because issues concerning their constituencies are not discussed in the assembly,’’ he said.
The IYC president that the exclusion negated the oath of office of the speaker and the leadership of this state who swore to protect the rights and interests of the people, saying it was unacceptable to trample upon the rights of the people.
“We urge the speaker of the assembly to do what is right and swear them in.”
“We have received complaints from the constituents who are Ijaw people. There cannot be injustice orchestrated by Ijaw people against Ijaw people,” Eradiri said.
The Speaker of the assembly, Mr Kombowei Benson is yet to comment on the alleged refusal to swear in the lawmakers-elect while the Commissioner for Information in the state, Chief Jonathan Obuebite, has dissociated Gov. Seriake Dickson from the controversy in the state assembly.
