By Onyekachi Eze
An effect to the recent action taken by the Leadership of the 9th House of Imo State Assembly, the indefinite suspension of six of her members may have given rise to the division of the Assembly.
Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Paul Emeziem had last two weeks announced the suspension of six Imo lawmakers over what he termed “unparliamentary conduct”.
The suspension, according to the number one Imo lawmaker was with immediate effect.
Despite that, there are feelings of disaffection among the twenty seven House members, the Speaker reportedly took twelve, to somewhere in Abuja for a retreat, leaving fifteen out of the trip.
The retreat was said to be a constitutional right of every elected House member to last for few days which started last weekend.
Members in the Speaker’s envoy includes; the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu (Nwangele, APC), Hon Kanayo Dele Onyemaechi (Owerri West, APC), Hon. Emeka Nduka (Ehime Mbano, APC), Rt Hon Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre, APC), Hon Eddy Obinna (Aboh Mbaise, APC), Hon Chigozie Nwaneri (Oru East, APC), Hon Ekene Nnodumele (Orsu, APC), Rt Hon Chiji Collins (Isiala Mbano, APC), Hon Samuel Ogbunikpa (Okigwe, APC), Hon Johnson Duru (Ideato South, APC) and Hon Heclus Okoro (Ohaji/Egbema, APC).
Trumpeta Newspaper gathered that the fifteen Lawmakers abandoned in Owerri are spoiling for show down over the brazen act adopted by the Speaker.
The Speaker was also alleged of practicing “divide” and “Rule” pattern where only members loyal to him are favoured in the scheme of things.
It could be recalled that during the recent plenary session, the Speaker “removed” the Chief Whip earlier occupied by the Ideato North Lawmaker, Hon Arthur Egwim, and replaced him with the Nkwerre ranking member, Hon Obinna Okwara.
The action some Lawmakers in the Assembly complex considered to have not followed a due process, especially as it involves a principal position.
Suspicion of division further became rife when the Lawmakers were seen to be meeting lately at the office of the Obowo member. The Speaker had in one of the media publications disclosed of plots to hijack his office and impeach the Governor.
Emeziem was also accused of seeing any member outside his caucus as an enemy who might stand against his position, hence the sledge hammer on him.
The members flew to Abuja after the last Wednesday’s sitting which was adjourned to July 21, 2021.
Aside the six suspended Lawmakers, the other members were presence at the chambers.
Reasons for the selection of colleagues to participate in the Abuja retreat remains a puzzle, even when they laughed and cracked jokes inside the chambers.
Honourables; Arthur Egwim (Ideato North), Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba), Ngozi Obiefule (Isu), Tochi Okereke (Ngor Okpala), Okey Onyekanma (Mbaitoli), Frank Ugboma (Oguta), Paschal Okolie (Orlu), Solomon Anukam (Owerri Municipal), Samuel Otuibe (Ahiazu Mbaise) were conspicuously missing in action and nowhere to be found in Abuja..
Aggrieved members who spoke under strict anonymity to this Newspaper said Imo Assembly since the emergence of Rt Hon Paul Emeziem has been from one administrative error to the other.
They blamed the lapses in Legislative activities on the Speaker’s inability to call all members for unity, pointing out that Imo State House of Assembly has a Leader who is controlled by his inordinate ambitions and personal gains.
The members, Trumpeta authoritatively gathered may stage a protest to the Governor to address the many issues bothering them.
In a related development, member of the public, especially the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have described the glaring segregation in the House as Leadership rascality, where some Local Government Areas are sidelined and denied effective representation due to party differences.
