Rivers Crisis: Lawyers Raise Alarm over Alleged Plot to Frame-up Opposition Reps Member, Ugochinyere

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A group of lawyers under the aegis of Lawyers in Defense of Democracy, has raised the alarm over alleged plot to frame-up a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere with trumped-up charges of rape, kidnapping, murder and other criminal offences.

The group on Monday in Abuja, vowed to resist any attempt to silence the Imo State lawmaker, owing to his public stance against acts capable of undermining the current administration of Siminilaiye Fubara, the management of the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the constitution of the country.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, a spokesperson of the group, Mr. Maxwell Opara, claimed that there is a desperate attempt to frame Ugochinyere up for gun running, murder, rape and kidnapping in a desperate attempt to curtail and silence his public condemnation of anti-democratic practices in the country.

According to him, “We have intercepted credible evidence of moves and attempts by some desperate yet, highly placed Nigerian politicians to silence Hon. Ikenga because of his advocacy for good governance and respect for the rule of law and constitutionalism in Nigeria, especially as it relates to the recent happenings in Rivers State and the need to save the PDP from lingering crises.”

According to the group, Ugochinyere is a law-abiding citizen and spokesperson of Nigeria’s opposition lawmakers, a defender of democracy, advocate of good governance and a member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato to North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State.

Frowning against the move, Opara recalled how the lawmaker had previously been subjected to all manner of political blackmail for choosing to stand for equity and justice and believed that he is innocent and that any sort of evidence against him is fabricated.

He said, “This is not the first time Ugochinyere has been framed for similar allegations in respect of the same issue for speaking the truth to the government and standing up for justice, equity and good governance, while resisting ineptitude, abuse of power and bad governance”.

Opara said it was part of the machinations that led to several failed attacks, assassination attempts and bombing of Ugochinyere’s house in his home town in Imo State. leading to the untimely death of his uncle and three other persons.

He however said: “This plot has taken a dangerous turn as our intelligence is that, his traducers have procured the services of a woman who will falsely claim that Ugochinyere raped her.

“They are also in the final negotiation stages with some rascals and petty thieves who have been promised adequate compensation to come and admit that guns which will be supposedly recovered from them were handed over to them by Ugochinyere.

“They are still frantically searching for the remains of any dead person they would use to claim that the gang murdered at the behest of Ugochinyere.

“All these heinous plots are just to stop his public intervention on the political happenings in Rivers State.”

The lawyers called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), civil society organisations, human rights groups and well-meaning Nigerians to stand against abomination and intimidation in solidarity with Ugochinyere and demand for the protection of his rights.

The group called on the police to investigate the allegations thoroughly, uncover the truth behind the plot to frame the lawmaker and hold perpetrators, their sponsors, privies and cronies accountable for their actions.