Obiano’s suspension of traditional rulers unconstitutional, barbaric

TRACKING ___THERE is an urgent need for Governor Willie Obiano to rescind the ill-advised suspension of 12 Anambra royal fathers.

It is a fact today that the statement issued by Mr. James Eze, the Chief Press Secretary to Anambra State Governor, suspending 12 traditional rulers in the state on August 11, 2020 has thrown the sleeping communities into chaos.

Eze, in the statement, claimed the royal fathers’ offence was that they travelled out of their domains without permission from either the governor or their respective local government area chairmen.

Though the governor’s spokesman claimed the decision to suspend the traditional rulers was that of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council, the issuance of the statement by Eze, who by the job specification of his office as a Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, ought to be speaking on matters that concern his boss, has no doubt exposed the mystery behind the purported suspension as not only political, but a matter Obiano is directly interested in.

Also, the statement and its author equally showed that the governor is using some of his aides to fan the embers of disharmony capable of throwing the state into an era of confusion and anarchy.

The above allusion is premised on the fact that the suspension, when viewed from all sides, is wrong, unconstitutional, uncivil, barbaric and anachronistic.

First, 1999 Nigeria constitution as amended, chapter four sections 40 and 41 under the Fundamental Human Rights allows every citizen the right to freedom of movement and association.

Also it is evident in many Nigeria communities, including Igbo, that some royal fathers reside and do businesses outside their kingdoms.

It therefore becomes very clear that these royal fathers, whose sin, according to Mr. James Eze and his boss, was that they travelled outside the state without permission, have not done anything wrong before the law and the people.

Traditional rulers have the right to move and associate with people without anyone preventing or interfering into their activities.

Without mincing words, Obiano’s action is to gag the royal fathers so as not to allow them spoil his political calculation which is to self-select the next governor of Anambra come November, 2021.

The governor had in recent times made political watchers realise this unconventional political arithmetic known to the people of the state through sponsorship of several publications in the print, electronic and social media.

Even before the suspended traditional rulers react, it is predictable that this statement now in the media is already overheating the areas.

It therefore becomes imperative for Governor Obiano, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, to urgently have a rethink over this move due to obvious problem it could trigger up.

Anambra people no doubt are peace-loving, but that is not to say they do not know their rights and privileges when dragged to the mud.

While the people wait for the governor to rescind this total aberration which negates the constitutional provisions, norms, customs and tradition, let me warn that further delay to revert these curious suspensions is dangerous.

• Okechukwu wrote from Okija