Despite the allegation that money exchanged hands that reportedly foiled first move to remove the Speaker, Rt Hon Acho Ihim, a fresh move is said to have been initiated against the Okigwe State Constituency legislator.
Signs of move to remove Ihim were high two weeks ago before it was quenched courtesy of an alleged mouth watering offer extended to the lawmakers to relax the push.
Trumpeta can reveal that a fresh hatchet plot has been concluded to get at Ihim following the raising up of about nine offence he was alleged to have committed.
According to a document Trumpeta obtained, 20 lawmakers including honourables Kennedy Ibeh, Uju Onwudiwe, Ken Agbim and Chika Madumere appended their signatures and accused Ihim of various misdemeanor that undermine the integrity of the 8th Assembly of IMHA.
The statement the following also signed; Chukwuemeka Lolyd, Bruno Ukoha, Chinedu Offor, Obinna Egu, Ngozi Obiefule, Uche Agabige, Uche Ejiogu, Arthur Egwim, Victor Onyewuchi, Marcel Odunze, Ifeanyi Nnaturuonye, Emmanuel Orie, Donatus Onuigwe, Nkenna Nzeruo, Uche Oguwuike and Chiji Collins, states that
“At the early days of this House, he caused an Executive order to be brought into this House demanding that the Members support approval of the sum of #100,000,0X30,000 (One Hundred Billion Naira as Authority to incur Expenditure (AIE) in favor of the Executive Governor, He resisted ALL ENTREATIES of the Members to demand for a breakdown of the projects for which such fund was needed to enable oversight on them His promise to return to the House with this request has remained a hoax
“The Federal Government graciously approved and released Bailout Fund* to All States of the Federation including Imo State, Mr Speaker, conspiring with some other Principal Officers of the House, truncated ALL MOTIONS intended to investigate the application of the Fund. This paragraph shall apply in questioning the Second Tranche of the Bailout and also the paris Club Refunds.
“Under his unconscionable Leadership, he emasculated the totality of the powers of oversight of the House to the extent that Capital projects rise every other day in the state without the necessary appropriation by the House and by implication denied the House access to facts to enable oversight. Even in this unfortunate state, the Speaker will ALWAYS resist any attempt to bring a motion on the floor to call the Executives to Order.
“It is shameful that under the leadership of the Speaker Hon. Acho Ihim, the Legislative arm of Imo State Government lost its identity by becoming servitude and completely subdued into being ONLY an appendage of the Executive arm of Imo State Government.
“Mr Speaker led the poorest House, both in intelligence, training and finances. He colluded with powers to circumvent the training of the members of the 8th Assembly which is a complete show of callousness against the parliament and State.
“Mr. Speaker chaperoned the passage of Budgets without the Appropriation Bill laid being opened by any single Member for one day. He passed budgets with the sacred gavel with less than a third of Members of the House present in one of his come plenaries
“He supervised the sabotage of his own Members by colluding with a few Members of the House to concoct Resolutions of the House without the knowledge of the majority,
“He midwifed the destruction of the institutions of the state by promoting the usurpation of the Powers and functions of ALL Ministries. Agencies and Departments and also the Local Governments permitting and acquiescing to the office of the Chief of Staff. ALL Functions and Responsibilities of the MDAs and the Local Governments.
“Mr, Speaker was an expert of divide and Rule. He presided over a
House without knowing a single Rule that guides proceedings of the same House, and when they are brought to his attention, he ignores same with impunity. What a Speaker”
At the end, the letter the members forwarded to the clerk of the House Chris Duru averred that by the Resolution, Ihim has been impeached and removed from office as Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly.
Earlier, Ihim had been suspended and member for Onuimo Offor elected acting Speaker.
Trumpeta was further informed that after several debates on who to step in, the lot fell on Dr Mrs Uche Ejiogu of Ihitte/Uboma against other lawmakers from Okigwe zone.
It was gathered that Okorocha also stepped into the matter to ask Ihim to quit to allow the House deliberations end well.
While the woman lawmaker may step in as substantive speaker in place of Offor who had been named before, Nkwerre lawmaker, Chika Madumere steps in to replace Ugonna Ozuruigbo of Nwangele who resigned as Deputy Speaker.
