APC Wants Bayelsa Speaker Arrested Over Contempt Of Court

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2016/01/apc-wants-bayelsa-speaker-arrested-contempt-court/

Cc: lalasticlala


The All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State has called on  the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission to arrest the embattled Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, for allegedly collecting December 2015 and January 2016 allowances after he had been sacked by the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The APC also carpeted Governor Seriake Dickson for aiding and abetting contempt of court by presenting the state government’s Appropriation Bill of N150.645 for the 2016 fiscal year to Benson despite the court judgment.
The APC in statement on Friday in Yenagoa  by its Publicity Secretary, Panebi Fortune, said it amounted to contempt of court, gross misconduct, and illegal receipt and use of public funds by Benson.


Benson was said to have been removed in a ruling  by the Court of Appeal on December 9 2015 after it nullified his April 2015 election for Southern Constituency 4 at the Assembly.
He had been dragged earlier to the Bayelsa State Election Petition Tribunal by the candidate of the APC, Ebifaghe Orunimighe, who challenged his purported electoral victory at the election.
The appeal panel which had  Justices Mohammed Garba, Ejembi Eko and Stephen Adah,  declared his election null and void and ordered a fresh election.
But 40 days after the ruling, Benson, who represented Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was said to have refused to vacate the seat.
The APC argued that Benson’s action was against relevant provisions of law guiding the conduct of a public officer.
“In utter defiance to the judgment of the Court of Appeal,  former Rt. Hon. Benson Konbowei Friday has been performing his statutory functions as the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly attending sittings, receiving salaries and allowances and appropriating monies for payment of his personal staffs.
“To further debase and denigrate our democratic values, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State acted in contempt of the court decision by presenting the 2016 budget to the Speaker on the 15th of January, 2015 on the floors of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly despite a formal letter from the (law) firm of the appellants’ counsel addressed to the Clerk of the House notifying the House of Assembly on the consequences of transacting any business in the House presided by Hon. Benson Konbowei  Friday.
“The demonstration of brute force, satanic ignorance and inordinate perchance for power by the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State and the former Speaker, smacks of desperation for power , insatiable appetite for public funds and crude approach to governance reminiscent of the hobbesian state of Nature.”
“As you are aware, the illegality perpetrated by the former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and members of the PDP-led House of Assembly and the Governor was intended to provoke the candidate of the APC, Hon. Ebifaghe Orunimighe and the APC.
“But as a law abiding party which promotes and cherish absolute obedience to the rule of law, we shall not stoop to visit the illegality of the former Speaker and the PDP with illegality but shall resort to legitimate avenues of redressing the illegality foisted on the people of Bayelsa State by the PDP-led government”, APC said.
The party appealed to its party supporters to remain calm while it explores legitimate means to bring the illegality to an end.
It would be recalled that the Speaker had on Monday 18 January 2016  reportedly stepped down his membership of the Assembly in deference to the Appeal Court ruling.
On Tuesday 19 January 2016,  Benson did not attend the day’s sitting of the Assembly as the Deputy Speaker, Abraham Ngobere, presided over proceedings.
Also, Benson was conspicuously absent during the inauguration of establishment (civil service), pension and local government committees on Tuesday by Deputy Governor John Jonah at the Banquet Hall,Government House, Yenagoa.
Ngobere was introduced at the event as “acting Speaker of the state House of Assembly” by the Master of Ceremony, Ebi Avi.

Does APC-led government has the moral right If not legal to question and attempt to charge anyone for court contempt given their disobedience over Dasuki's and Kanu's bail order?

#NaijaLegalAnalyst

Are Dasuki and Kalu political office holder ?