The unending legal hostilities between the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Barr. Nkiruka Onyejeocha, and the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Hon. Amobi Ogah, have resurfaced as the Minister has once again instituted fresh criminal charges against the lawmaker.
Since Hon. Ogah’s declaration as the duly elected representative of the constituency, he has been entangled in a series of litigations—many instigated by his predecessor, Barr. Onyejeocha, who spent 16 uninterrupted years in the National Assembly before losing her seat.
In the latest development, Onyejeocha is accusing Hon. Amobi Ogah of false declaration under oath, injurious falsehood, perjury, and criminal defamation, charges observers say are politically motivated.
Community stakeholders, opinion leaders, and human rights groups—including the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)have described the Minister’s actions as “baseless, vindictive, and driven by personal resentment.”
A stakeholder from Umunneochi LGA, Chief Azuka, lamented the persistent attacks on Ogah, saying:
“It is very unfortunate that after spending 16 years in the National Assembly, our sister, Barr. Onyejeocha, has refused to allow the will of the people to stand. The election is over, and the people have spoken.”
HURIWA also faulted Onyejeocha for allegedly leveraging her ties to her former legal adviser—now the Minister of Justice—to wage what they termed a “political vendetta” against the incumbent lawmaker.
Recall that since a Court affirmed Hon. Amobi Ogah as the duly elected member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi, he has faced what many political watchers describe as relentless harassment, targeted litigation, and an orchestrated attempt to destabilize his mandate.
