While it is no longer news that aggrieved members of the Imo state House of Assembly have been meeting to discus their welfare, what is however disturbing is that they have set aside party differences for another round of skirmishes with Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Trumpeta cannot reveal if the meeting of the lawmakers is connected to rumoured impeachment plots reported by some Owerri-based media houses yesterday but can authoritatively state that the zeal of the House of Assembly members cannot be divorced from the continued struggle from enhanced payment and better welfare packages.
In line with earlier stories carried by This newspaper, which had exposed the untold hardship the members are under-doing in the hands of Okorocha concerning welfare packages, Trumpeta reliably learnt that members rejected the cheque given to them for their June monthly allowance.
It was learnt that the rejection of the June salary was necessitated by the fact that it fell short of expectation and reflected what they had kicked against earlier in the past prior to the passage of the 2014 budget in June.
The Imo Assembly who seems to have woken from her slumber after three years under “Executive Exploitation” recently discovered that they were under-paid and had been losing N450,000 (four hundred and five thousand) naira monthly since they were inaugurated in 2011. The lawmakers asked for amendment of the pay when it was discovered that the Revenue Mobilization Fiscal Commission, that is incharge of emolument for office holders and political appointees has greater pay package than what they were being offered as well as report of special committee set up by the House to verify what other lawmakers in other state assemblies took home monthly as pay packets.
In driving home their request then, the members had not only refused to go on annual break but also jettisoned signing of the 2014 Budget into law. A swift move by the governor who was said to have agreed to their terms saw the House soften to go on break after passage of the budget.
However, fresh crisis is rearing its ugly head with the executive arm reneging in continuing with the agreed monthly take home package. The lawmakers were surprised that their June salary which came in form of cheque reflected the old and contestable amount. Most members of the House especially those in PDP and APGA kicked against the old amount and rejected their cheques.
The frosty relationship warranted the new disposition which is forcing the lawmakers to call off the long break for resumption of plenary session to press home their demands for appropriate home package at the and of the month .
Meanwhile, Hon Dan Ikpeazu, the member of Imo House of Assembly representing Owerri North Constituency, yesterday spoke to Trumpeta Newspaper from the United State of America, USA, in reaction to a front page story carried by an Owerri based Newspaper alleging that he, Hon Dan Ikepazu, with others were plotting to remove the Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, Hon Benji Uwajumogu and his Deputy Hon Odoemena.
Ikpeazu who described the allegation as a delusion by disgruntled elements scared of his political prowess, maintained that he left Nigeria on Saturday for USA to attend World Owerri Peoples Congress in Tennesy, and therefore could not have been a spirit, plotting the Speaker’s impeachment in Umuahia, Abia state, and still be in the USA at the same time.
The Agbala born youthful politician said he is a member of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, and will remain a member of APGA, no matter the amount of threats and monetary inducements, pointing out that he is free to associate with whom he so wishes as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.
He made it clear that he is running for the Owerri Federal House seat under APGA, and cannot be distracted by frivolous blackmails and gossips, adding that only the people of Owerri North who gave him their mandate in 2011 can strip him of that responsibility.
“I don’t know what people want from me. If they don’t take time they will be consumed. I am in APGA, and will remain in APGA” Ikpeazu told Trumpeta from USA.
