Akwa Ibom Assembly Crisis: CLO has no powers to summon us for meeting – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Akwa Ibom state has said the Civil Liberties Organisation has no constitutional powers to wade into a matter that is still pending in the court of law.

The was in reaction to the call for a meeting by the CLO to discuss the case of the five sacked APC lawmakers in AkwaIbom state house of Assembly.

The Spokesperson of the PDP in the state, Ini Ememobong, who explained the party’s resolve to boycott the meeting, said the act of discussing issues before the court was subjudice.

According to him, “The State Executive Committee of the party has been notified by the State Chairman, Obong Paul Ekpo of an invitation to a meeting, issued by the Civil Liberties Organization. The said meeting is to ‘discuss’ matters relating to the membership of the House of Assembly, which are already before different courts.

“It was resolved that the party cannot participate in that meeting for many reasons, chief among them being the fact that these issues are before courts and therefore discussing them will be subjudice.

“Take notice that the People’s Democratic Party will not attend any meeting with the CLO or any other such organization or person, to discuss matters currently pending in courts, except otherwise ordered by the Court.”

He maintained they would not attend the meeting knowing fully well that the CLO has been ridden with APC would be bias in its judgement.

“Additionally, the choice of an arbitrator as a matter of convention, must be agreed to by the parties, not imposed by anybody, let alone a meddlesome interloper, whose bias is manifestly obvious,” he said.