By Onyekachi Eze
In what appeared like a show of Legislative rascality the Imo State House of Assembly sitting at their temporary site along the Heroes Square boulevard, New Owerri, yesterday was under severe chaos, over the suspension announcement of six of the Lawmakers.
During the House plenary session, Speaker Rt Hon Paul Emeziem after announcing the dissolution of all Committees, and replacing the Chief Whip, later before adjournment broke the ice by announcing the suspension of the under-listed House members.
They are; Honourables, Domanic Ezerioha (Oru West), Michael Crown Onyemaechi Njoku (Ihitte-Uboma), Anyadike Nwosu (Ezinihitte Mbaise), Uche Ogbuagu (Ikeduru), Philip Ejiogu (Owerri North)and Kennedy Ibeh (Obowo).
However, while supporting the motion for adjournment, Hon Solomon Anukam for Owerri Municipal disassociated self from having knowledge of the decision reached at the Executive session, adding that there was no Executive session.
While he was still speaking, the aggrieved victims of the suspension, led by Hon Michael Onyemaechi Njoku stood up and said, “there is nothing like suspension. Is this how it is done? Where and how was it made? Did it actually go through the procedures of the House Rules?
At this juncture, others joined him and pointed to the Speaker who was almost leaving the chambers while the Sergeant at Arms was still standing with the mace, to declare the announcement of the suspension as null and void.
There was pandemonium for those inside the chambers as sporadic gunshots erupted.
People scampered for safety while the Legislators these words and attempted punches at each other.
The Speaker and few others narrowly escaped from the chambers with the help of stern looking “guys” dressed on black, with policemen who abridged serious attacks from the suspended members and their colleagues.
The fracas continued until outside, where the Speaker was denied entry into his car before more hands joined in building walls around him.
The gun shots persisted until the Speaker and House Leadership left the complex.
Earlier inside the chambers, Hon Ngozi Obiefule had unequivocally said there was no Executive sitting. The Speaker, Paul Emeziem having had the glimpse of where she was going, shut her down and never allowed her to finish her speech.
Also, Hon Kennedy Ibeh described activities of the House, especially as it concerns the said “Executive sitting as condemnable and against their constitutional rights and privileges as Lawmakers. Ibeh contested that the Speaker having an Executive sitting with few Lawmakers in an undisclosed place and coming up to read resolutions/ decisions of the House while majority of them were not there is illegal.
Against that backdrop, addressing House Correspondents, the six suspended members denied being suspended.
Rt Hon Arthur Egwim who was removed as the Chief Whip described the entire process as an illegal operation that cannot be honoured. Egwim was of the feeling that the House has provisions, Rules and Order, and that every activity that is carried out without following these rules are as good as dead on arrival.
About his removal, he said before a Chief Whip is removed, the majority in APC at least have to sign which the Paul Emeziem failed to follow.
Making reference to the word “dissolved” as used by the Speaker, the Ideato North representative opined that with that alone, he can go to court to seek a redressed, since he was not found wanting in any way or caught in a dishonorable manner.
For Hon Uche Ogbuagu, he didn’t only describe the suspension move as a joke and illegal, but he also threatened a Law suit if the party, APC fails to look into the matter.
Hon. Ogbuagu of Ikeduru State Constituency said it was just a charade and daylight illegality, recounting that yesterday was his first day of joining the plenary session after the PASAN strike. Hence, he asked where and how he contravened or act in an “unparlimentary” conduct.
He therefore posited that since he came to the House of Assembly through the mandate of Ikeduru people, one man will not wake up one morning to decide his fate or that of others. Ogbuagu asked that he would take the matter up in a law court after hearing the decision of reaction of the Governor who is the supreme leader of the party in Imo, and from the APC.
Reacting, Hon Michael Crown Njoku of Ihitte/Uboma couldn’t hide his displeasure towards the development, as he revisited the House Rules and Order, especially where it clearly pointed out on the rights and privileges of members. Crown averred that the Speaker never gave anyone chance to air his views based on the House procedures.
According to the young parliamentarian, “I am not suspended. The processes were not strictly followed. Even the recommendations that ought to have come first from the committee on Rules and proceedings, but nothing of such happened. I will continue coming to the House”.
Hon Ngozi Obiefule told Correspondents that even at 10:00am yesterday, the members were present at the complex waiting for venue of the Executive Sitting, but neither the Speaker no any House Leadership gave them attention, until they drove down (hours later) and entered directly into the chambers.
She however called for decorwn and dignity among lawmakers than going contrary to dictates of legislative.
Trumpeta Newspaper authoritatively gathered that Assembly workers are now living in fear as they don’t know what would happen next.
