*says gov’s apology deceptive
Radical surgeon and anti-abortion crusader, Dr. Philip Njemanze, has sued the governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, to court for sudden revocation of his landed property in Owerri following his opposition to the state Law No. 12 popularly known as ‘Abortion Law’.
Dr. Njemanze, who blew the whistle of the said abortion, is asking the court to redress the alleged injustice against him and pronunce the revocation of the said property as illegal, null, void and of no effect.
The medical doctor who is the state chairman of the Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria(ACMPN), insisted that the property was lawfully acquired with a valid certificate of occupancy.
According to him, the property is a multi-billion naira state-of-the-art medical facility already under construction by a consortium of Pro-Life doctors with some institutional support.
Meanwhile, Dr. Njemanze has declared the apology tendered by Governor Okorocha over the abortion law issue and the move by the state House of Assembly to amend the Law as deceptive.
He called for a total repeal of the Imo State Law No. 7, 2007 and Law No. 12, 2012.
According to him, “Despite the so-called apology by Governor Rochas Okorocha and the speaker of the House, abortion is still legal in Imo State even after the repeal of the current Law No. 12 under discussion.
“They have installed as a safeguard to perpetuate legalized abortion in Imo State, using the older Imo State Law No. 7 signed by former governor, Achike Udenwa on May 25th, 2007.
“The Imo Law No. 7, 2007 states in section 18(e), ‘Medical Termination’ of pregnancy… Where the continued pregnancy endangers the health of the mother… The keyword here is the broad term ‘endangers the health’ “, Dr. Njemanze explained, adding that pregnancy is not a sickness, but a physiologic condition.
He explained further, here Law No. 7, 2007 carts pregnancy as a cause of disease which which under the circumstance would have to be terminated to regain ‘health’. This is falsehood and deception.
“The law No. 7, 2007 does not define what it means by ‘health’, therefore, even headache could be assessed as a threat to health. Hence, the law No. 7, 2007 provides for legalization of abortion at any time during nine months of pregnancy under the term ‘medical abortion’.
The ACMPN boss accused the state government and the legislature of causing the matter to more complicated as a result of the government’s over reliance on deception rather than a serious act contrition followed by honest and decisive actions to repeal the laws No. 7, 2007 and No. 12.
