Prominent lawyer, Etigwe Uwa SAN FCIArb, has condemned the reported arrest of Ceekay Igara, a chieftain of the Labour Party, calling it a “sad day for democracy” in Abia State.
Uwa’s remarks were made in response to reports that Igara was arrested during a Labour Party meeting at Elitona Hotel, where members were preparing for the forthcoming local government elections in Abia State.
Uwa emphasised that unless Igara has committed a specific crime, his arrest is a violation of his constitutional rights, which guarantee freedom of movement and association.
He criticised the political class for what he described as a “new low” and warned that any attempt to interfere with the local government elections would lead to “chaos, failure, and poor development”.
He said: “I condemn in the strongest terms the arrest of Ceelay Igara if the story making the rounds is true.
“Furthermore if it is true that he was arrested whilst the members of Labour Party were meeting at the Elitona Hotel in preparation for the Forth coming LGA elections, then it is a sad day for our democracy in the state.
“Except there is a crime which has been committed by Ceekay Igara, he is entitled to his constitutionally guaranteed freedom of liberty movement and association.
“The political class have again descended to a further low. The local government elections give citizens the opportunity to elect their leaders and any emperor mentality on the part of anybody political party or group of people who believe it is their birth right to exercise the prerogative of selection is condemnable and would ultimately lead to chaos, failure and poor development.
“I call on those responsible for this arrest to immediately reverse this ignoble, cowardly and shameful action. All parties and candidates should test their popularity at the polls and any act of intimidation is a defeatist pre-admission of the inability to be successful at credible polls.
“The captors of Ceekay Igara should release him immediately or face legal action for this despicable act.
“This statement is not an expression of support for Ceekay Igara’s political leanings or for the current leadership of Labour Party as recently decided by the Courts. It is simply standing on the path of constitutionality fairness and justice regardless of who is involved.“
