Governor Hope Uzodinma has alleged that opposition parties are trying to disrupt the unity in Imo state.
His allegations were made after the signing of the Imo State Administration of Criminal Bill No 2 of 2020 (ISACJL, 2020) which is said to hand the governor a significant amount of power to do as he likes.
Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Professor of Law and former Commissioner for Information, pointed out that sections 484 and 485 of the law were outrageous. He said, “Section 484 of the ISACJL, 2020 provides that where any person is ordered to be detained during the governor’s pleasure, he shall notwithstanding anything in the ISACJL, 2020 or contained in any other written law liable to be detained in such place and under such conditions as the governor may direct and whilst so detained shall be in proper custody.
“Section 485(1) of ISACJL, 2020 enacts that a person detained during the governor’s pleasure may at any time be discharged by the governor on license which said license may be in such form and in such conditions as the governor may direct under section 485(2).
“Finally, in section 485(3) of the ISACJL, 2020, a license may at any time be revoked or varied by the governor and where license has been revoked, the person to whom the person the license relates shall proceed to such place as the governor may direct and if he fails to do so, may be arrested without a warrant and taken to such place.”
The governor’s camp is quite amused at the reaction the bill is generating, as they affirm that the bill was passed six months ago.
However, Emeka Ahaneku, Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, is hopeful that the bill would be reviewed when the state lawmakers return from their vacation.
