Members of the House of Representatives, under the G-60 group, have called on Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to charge former local government chairmen with treason for attempting to remain in office after their three-year tenure expired.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the group’s leader, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, spoke alongside Aliyu Mustapha (PDP, Kaduna), Matthew Nwogu (LP, Imo), and Midaila Usman (PDP, Borno).
“We also appreciate Governor Siminalayi Fubara for being a democratic leader. Despite all the provocation, he allowed the former local government chairmen to complete their three-year tenure unlike his predecessor, who upon election in 2015, dissolved the local government chairmen under Governor Amaechi despite order of court,” Ugochinyere stated.
He continued, “We wish to call on the government of Rivers State to immediately prepare treason charges against the 23 former LGA chairmen and their sponsors and co-conspirators for the failed attempt to unlawfully takeover the government of the 23 LGA knowing full well that their tenure had elapsed and they are no longer local government chairmen.”
Ugochinyere cited Section 37 of the Criminal Code Act, which states, “Any person who levies war against the State, in order to intimidate or overthrow the President or the Governor of a State, is guilty of treason, and is liable to the punishment of death.
“Any person conspiring with any person, either within or without Nigeria, to levy war against the State with intent to cause such levying of war as would be treason if committed by a citizen of Nigeria, is guilty of treason and is liable to the punishment of death: Provided that nothing in this section shall prevent any act from being treason which is so by the laws of England as in force in Nigeria.”
