WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN ABIA STATE -Abia residents in diaspora cries -by N. Ijomah -
On October 17, 2015 a sizeable crowd of Abia residents in diaspora gathered before the Nigerian Embassy in downtown Manhattan despite the relatively short notice of the event to protest the recent tribunal rulings in Abia state. New york City being a city of immigrants , it was not surprising to see a motley crowd of regular New Yorkers who ordinarily cannot tell where Nigeria is, let alone Abia state willingly join in our protest in solidarity with our cause after they were informed of what we were protesting about.
All in all the protest was a success inasmuch as it signals to our folks back home that we in diaspora are in comradeship with their efforts in bringing about change in Abia state and the return of Dr Alex Otti's mandate and that their action so fa has been an intersection between hope, courage and resilience, knowing full well the extent the present Abia government will go in stifling their efforts through the use of a corrupt police force.
The protesters in New York carried such signs as:-
WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN ABIA STATE, TRIBUNAL MUST RETURN OTTI'S MANDATE, TRIBUNAL JUDGEMENT MUST BE BASED ON THE FACTS NOT TECHNICALITIES,, BUHARI MUST LOOK INTO AFFAIRS IN ABIA , just to mention a few. In their list of demands presented to the press and to embassy officials, the protester demanded amongst others that:-
1.The Abia election tribunal must take into consideration the evidence presented before it and the facts therein before reaching any judgement regarding the petitions before it.
2.Tribunal should for the sake of justice and fair play cancel or invalidate the election results from Obingwa, Ossisioma and Isiala Ngwa North.
3.Nothing other than the return of Dr Otti's mandate will be acceptable to millions of Abians including diasporans.
4. The EFCC and the Buhari administration should immediately investigate affairs in Abia state, including its justice system.
5. A call on the Abia people, not to relent in their effort in bringing pressure on the tribunal in ensuring that justice is done.
