Magnus Abe

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Senator Magnus Ngie Abe has described the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to probe into the December 10 rerun election as a huge joke. He said the decision would be challenged in Court and warned that if the Speaker of Rivers House of Assembly refuse to swear in APC Lawmakers, then  they will take their seats without being sworn in.
Senator Abe who is representing Rivers South East spoke to Silverbird Rhythm 93.7 Port Harcourt  argued that Governor Wike who had earlier vowed the state government will not support the probe panel set up by the Inspector General of Police,Abubakar Idris to investigate the violence that characterised the December 10 election that led to the beheading of DSP Mohammed Alkali because he has no confidence in the Police, now turned around to set up his own inquiry.

“The rest of the country knows this is a joke. And like every other joke that has been reduced to pen and paper we are going to treat it seriously and we will challenge that so- called Commission in the kaw Court.He has no moral right and the legal foundation to set an inquiry that says that you should be unbiased that would be able to look things objectively in this case does not exist.”

He said that Governor Wike lacks the moral authority and foundational fairness to institute such because of the enduring principle that a man cannot be a judge in his own case.
On the refusal of Speaker of Rivers Assembly to swear in the APC Law makers, Senator Abe warned that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly has no right whatsoever to refuse to swear-in members elected on the platform of the APC and cannot also constitute himself into an election tribunal.

According to him,”The Speaker has a choice. He either swears them in which is what he is constitutionally expected to do as the Speaker of the Rivers Assembly or he can refuse and they will go into the house of Assembly to take their seat without his permission because he has no right to sit as a tribunal over the return of any legislator. If he does not swear them in, the APC legislators will take their seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly. The impunity and rascality that we been witnessing will not be allowed and will not be tolerated.”

“I want to say it loud and clear that if they are not sworn in they will take their seats on the floor of the Rivers state House of Assembly.”

Senator Magnus Abe pledged not to disappoint the Rivers South East senatorial district.