Ukwa East Legislative Council Dismisses Allegations Against Information Commissioner, Threatens Legal Action

The Ukwa East Legislative Council has refuted a viral publication accusing the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, of instigating violence during the Council’s plenary session on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, describing the allegations as “dangerously misleading, baseless, and criminally defamatory.”

In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Council condemned the report credited to one Ugwumba Adiele, insisting that every claim made against the Commissioner was fabricated and unsupported by a single piece of evidence.

The lawmakers clarified that the Commissioner had “no knowledge of, no involvement in, and no connection whatsoever” to the internal proceedings of the Ukwa East Legislative Council on the said date. They stressed that the Council is an independent arm of the local government structure and is not controlled by any external political office holder.

The Council faulted the writer’s narrative, which alleged assault on the Clerk, destruction of government property, and even the smashing of the mace on a councillor’s face. According to the lawmakers, the claims were made without any credible evidence of what happened at the plenary, no photos, no videos, no police report, no medical record, and no proof of damage.

“The law is clear: he who alleges must prove. In this case, the author proved absolutely nothing because the allegations are completely false,” the statement read.

According to the Council’s account, the plenary began between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. after a brief meeting convened by the Leader, Hon. Kingsley Belle. Tensions reportedly rose during the presentation of the draft 2026 budget when the Leader attempted to bypass established legislative procedures.

The Leader allegedly sought to push the budget through without circulation of the draft document, without a second reading, debate, or committee referral. Matters escalated when the Clerk disclosed that the Deputy Leader was in possession of the draft, prompting councillors to insist on due process.

The situation reached a boiling point when the Leader directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove the legislative mace from the chamber in an attempt to abruptly adjourn proceedings, a move the lawmakers described as unconstitutional and procedurally illegal.

Councillors protested to stop the removal of the mace, resulting in a brief struggle during which some members sustained minor injuries.

However, the Council firmly denied that anyone was beaten, that weapons were introduced, or that government property was destroyed.

The press release questioned the credibility of the writer, pointing out that he was neither a councillor nor a legislative staff member and was not present during the plenary.

It also challenged him to explain who authorised him to publish false information and whose interests he was serving.

Citing the Nigerian Criminal Code and Cybercrime Act, the Council demanded a public retraction and apology within 72 hours, warning that failure to comply would trigger formal legal action for defamation and a petition to security agencies.

Reaffirming its commitment to due process and transparent governance, the Council urged members of the public to disregard the “malicious and unlawful” publication.