A surprise development broke the peace of the graveyard in the Imo State House of Assembly yesterday, when the state lawmakers in an unannounced was removed the majority leader, Hon Uche Ogbuagu.
Ogbuagu became Majority Leader of the House when there was slight change in the leadership structure after the former, Rt Hon Okey Olekanma resigned when the PDP governor Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha was dropped from Government House, Owerri.
Apart from crossing over to APC from PDP, Ogbuagu became the Majority Leader until Thursday’s surprise package handed to him.
Trumpeta learnt that the member representing Ikeduru State Constituency was absent when those he was supposed to lead moved into the chamber for his removal.
On the floor, the APC members who from the Majority caucus in the House submitted to Speaker Paul Emeziem, a letter removing Ogbuagu. In his place, Hon Dele Onyemaechi (Dele) was nominated to emerge the new Leader.
Information available to Trumpeta has it that Ogbuagu’s removal was the climax of cold war ravaging the House leadership before this episode. It was gathered that all is not well with key officials of the Imo Assembly who were at daggers-drawn.
Even as full details why the push against the comedian cum legislator was not made public, Trumpeta investigation has it that the trouble against the Ikeduru lawmakers cannot be divorced from the 2021 Budget proposal.
Though, there were other factors that were responsible for his ouster from the office but what transpired at the executive session when the budget was presented by Governor Hope Uzodinma gave Ogbuagu away.
It was further gathered that the Ikeduru lawmaker reportedly complained at the Executive Session of the House that the budget figure was high an expression that didn’t go down well with the powers that be. He was accused to have against expectations as the Majority Leader, expected to represent interest of the executive arm than complain against the figure presented by the Governor.
According to sources, this development pitched him against other pro Uzodinma colleagues where he was also accused to have overacted in the matter. Unknown to Ogbuagu, the said incident was reported to Government House, Owerri who took note of his attitude and started observing him carefully. Subsequently he became a suspect in the midst of APC Lawmakers.
Trumpeta was also informed that despite switching over to APC from PDP, the powers that control APC affairs never wanted him closer to avoid the experience those who related with him in the field of politics had in the past.
Recall that when Rochas Okorocha came into power in 2011, Uche Ogbuagu was appointed Chief Comedian and SA in Entertainment. But the romance couldn’t survive more than two years when the comedian came up with the famous “Ka Opuo” anthem against his former master in 2015 governorship election.
In 2019 election, but for the assistance of former governor of the PDP extraction, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, it would have been difficult for Ogbuagu to get the party’s ticket before election. But when the Supreme Court decided Uzodinma won, Ogbuagu started singing his usual canary against his former benefactor, Ihedioha. He went further to dump PDP for APC.
From what this newspaper got, the administration of Uzodinma became cautions about dealing with Ogbuagu and associating with him on.
Sources in the Assembly disclosed that the Ogbuagu phobia by the government of the day made them to use Deputy Majority Leader, Honourable Emeka Nduka and Nwaneri to do their bids.
Our correspondent learnt that in some cases, motions and Bills from the executive that were within the powers of Majority Leader to present were transferred to others. The source further revealed “Yes, the letter to the Speaker about Ogbuagu’s removal was from APC caucus in the House but a closer observation by us indicated it was from above. They don’t want him to be close”
