Igbo youths under the aegis of Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) have warned against the plot to remove the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu from office, saying democracy in the country has come under threat.
The group in a statement titled, “The Plot To Remove Senator Orji Kalu Over Allegation Of Not Supporting the Emergence Of Senator Godswill Akpabio As Senate President Is Coup Against Democracy” was responding to an alarm raised by the sacked Senator of Adamawa North, Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo.
Abbo who was removed from office on Monday had said he along with Sen. Kalu and other Senators were penciled down for removal from office for not supporting the emergence of Sen. Godswill Akpabio as President of the Senate.
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COSEYL in the statement signed by Comrade Goodluck Ibem the President General and Comrade Okey Nwaoru, the Publicity Secretary said the beauty of democracy lies in divergent views, wondering when it has become an offence for people to have an independent view.
The group said, “It is very unfortunate that the supposed giant of Africa that should live by example in adhering to democratic norms, principles and practice is the same country that is spearheading the destruction of democracy in our country.
“Different and diverse views on issues has always been the beauty of democracy all over the world. Witch-hunting individuals with opposing or different views is dictatorial and a coup against democracy.
“We want to know when it has become a crime for one to air his or her views or opinion on issues? We want to know when has it become a crime for one to support candidates of his or her choice under a democracy?
“Certainly what is happening today is not the democracy our founding fathers fought for. The democracy they fought for was a democracy where the fundamental human rights of citizens are respected and protected and not the other way round.
“The urgency at which the Court of Appeal within 4 days delivered judgement removing Senator Abbo from office is a clear pointer to the fact that the justices are just playing a scripts handed over to them by some influential individuals somewhere.
“The judiciary should not allow herself to be used as an accomplice to destroy our hard-earned democracy which our founding fathers fought so hard to bring to us. We urge them to remain impartial and always stand for Justice and truth. Our democracy depends on the judiciary to stand and there will be no democracy without an impartial judiciary.
“We want to state it categorically that we monitored the last National Assembly and Presidential elections in the entire South East geopolitical zone and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu convincingly won his re-election based on his performance and popularity among his people in Abia North Senatorial zone of Abia State.
“The unprecedented performance of Senator Orji in just less than 4 months in office is a clear testament that he truly loves his constituents and they also love him in return which was why they voted massively for him on 25 February, 2023.
“Senator Orji has always been a source of Joy and inspiration to the good people of Abia North and the mandate freely given to him is sacrosanct to his constituents who defied the rain and harsh weather to cast their votes for him.
“We want the whole world to know that any plot against Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is a plot against the collective interest of Ndigbo and we stand solidly behind the mandate freely given to him by our people. Senator Orji is and has always been the voice of the voiceless in our society.
“We call on elder statesmen like General Abdusalami Abubakar, General Ibrahim Babangida, General Theophilus Danjuma and other elder statesmen to stand up in defense of our hard-earned democracy that is at the verge of collapse because of personal vendetta of a few who are hell-bent to remove senators who the feel did not support the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President.
“We warn all those involved in this wicked plot to drop such scheme because Nigerians will not allow it to see the light of the day.
“We urge all Nigerians to stand up in defense of our democracy that is at the verge of collapse because of egocentric interest of a few who are parading themselves as emperors in a democratic setting.
“The time to serve our democracy is now.”
