Ichita who was elected under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in a statement, claimed that the suit before a High Court in the state with suit no. A/182/2021 was instituted against him by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Charles Esonu, while the latter was the Special Assistant to the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Special Duties at the time the suit was instituted against him.
Ichita lamented that his only crime was his continued outcry on the deplorable nature of roads in his constituency, stressing that the state government has used all means to stop him from talking about.
According to him, “We received strong and credible intelligence information that there was a secret suit filed against me by the Abia State Commissioner for Youths Development, Barr. Charles Esonu in a suit no. A/182/2021 and his statement of claim, he said that he was the Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties.
“He is praying the court to make an order for me not to talk about the state of roads in my constituency and for me to pay him N200m for the damages that he incurred as a result of my talking about the state of roads in my constituency.The main thing is that I was not served. My office is known in the House of Assembly and my constituency office is also known, but I wasn’t served.
“They went and told the Judge that they made an application for substituted service; that they were going to serve me at the constituency office which the court granted.
“But instead of serving me at the address, they went and hid the document elsewhere, where somebody discovered it and notified us. Our lawyers have confirmed that and have taken the necessary steps. They also want the court to order me to pay them 200 Million Naira as damages for talking about bad roads in Aba south, the constituency I was elected to represent.
“The suit was filed by Charles Esonu, Abia State Commissioner for Youths; he listed the Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Investment as one of his witnesses. It is interesting that instead of utilizing the money (over 56 Million US dollars) that Abia State government received from the World Bank for flood mitigation project in Aba, the State government officials are secretly asking the High Court of Abia State to order me to stop talking about abandoned and dilapidated roads in my constituency.”
He vowed not to be deterred by the antics of the state government in the performance of his legislative duties.
“My duty as a lawmaker is provided for by the constitution which I know is superior to other laws in Nigeria. This cannot deter me because when we talk about the state of our roads, it is not politics, but reality. You cannot access any of those road projects that made the World Bank release $56million intervention to the state.
“There is no single road in my constituency that is accessible; from Port Harcourt to Ohanku, Obohia, Omuma, Ihieorji, Uratta roads.
“I don’t represent the Youth Commissioner, I represent the good people of Aba South State Constituency who have asked me to continue to talk about the state of roads in their constituency and they are the only people who I take instructions from.
“People that have businesses in my constituency including traders at Orie Ohabiam market, Nkwo Ngwa, Omuma road, Obohia, etc, can no longer do their businesses the way that they used to do because of lack of patronage as people access their business premises to patronise them. We can no longer visit our kith and kin because of the deplorable roads that have cut us off from each other.”
Contacted on the alleged plot, Mr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, dismissed any plot against the lawmaker by the state government.
“I speak for the Governor of Abia State and I know for sure that no such thing is on his mind. It even sounds ridiculous to try a member of the House of Assembly for some so-called outspokenness?”
