The Coalition of Aba North Ethnic Youth Groups has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emereuwa, to declare the Aba North Assembly seat vacant. This seat has been mired in controversy since November 27, 2023, when the Court of Appeal in Lagos removed Destiny Nwagwu of the Labour Party (LP) and declared Aaron Uzodike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the rightful representative. Despite this ruling, Uzodike has not been inaugurated, leaving the seat unoccupied for months.
On Friday, the Coalition demanded immediate action from the Speaker, warning of a city-wide protest in Aba if the seat is not declared vacant within the stipulated time. In a protest letter signed by the group’s leader, Uka Matthew, and other members, they expressed frustration over their lack of representation in the Abia State House of Assembly for six months.
“We have been without a representative for too long and cannot continue to be voiceless,” the letter stated. The Coalition insists that the March 18, 2024, House of Assembly election was won by Destiny Nwagwu of the LP, despite the Court of Appeal’s decision in favor of Uzodike.
Uka Matthew threatened that if the Speaker does not comply with their demands, the Coalition will take to the streets of Aba in protest. “We are calling on our brother, the Speaker, to do the needful and declare the Aba North State constituency seat vacant so that INEC can conduct a fresh election. We voted for Destiny Nwagwu; we cannot allow Aaron, who lost even in his polling unit, to represent us,” Matthew stated.
The call for action echoes a similar demand made last month by a group of traditional rulers from the Aba North constituency. They urged the Speaker to declare the seat vacant, citing allegations that Aaron Uzodike was battling ill health.
However, Uzodike refuted these claims in an interview with journalists in Umuahia in April, asserting that he is healthy and ready to serve his constituents if sworn in. He dismissed the traditional rulers’ claims, labeling them as imposters hired from other constituencies.
The situation remains tense as the deadline for the Speaker’s decision approaches, with potential protests looming if the demands are not met.
