A.C.B Agbazuere, Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has come under heavy fire over a ‘despotic’ press statement issued to journalists on Monday.
Agbazuere had in the statement, threatened residents, particularly youths in the state, over a purported planned protest in Aba, the commercial city of Abia.
Describing the move as a “clandestine plot being orchestrated by an overzealous politician”, the governor’s aide said “such youths are advised in their own interest to desist forthwith or have themselves to blame.”
Agbazuere warned that law enforcement agents have been alerted to deal “decisively” with the protesters, calling on parents and guardians to “equally caution their children to avoid collateral consequences.”
The statement, however, did not go down well with residents and citizens of the state who questioned where the Chief of Staff derived such powers to threaten protesters.
One of the residents and a legal practitioner, who spoke to Igbere TV on the condition of anonymity, described the move as “undemocratic.”
Questioning the constitutionality of the said statement by the Abia State Chief of Staff, the legal practitioner said such move was an indication of “impunity taken too far.”
“Today’s ‘special announcement’ of threats on protesters by Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Dr. ACB Agbazuere is not only undemocratic but an impunity taken too far,” he said.
“A peaceful protest is way of communicating with our leaders while by law, protesters are advised to approach any of the relevant authority (which is the police) to obtain a permission which allows them to carry-out their protest.
“I believe, before the police can give out permission, protesters must have stated reasons for their protest. No police would give out permission to any protest that is meant to disrupt the peace of the community or state.
“On what constitutional ground does Dr. Agbazuere derive the audacity to have issued the said announcement of threats and order?,” the legal practitioner questioned.
