By Onyekachi Eze
While the dust raised by the purported impeachment of Rt Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu as Deputy Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly is yet to rest, another surprised action was staged at the early hours of yesterday, with the impeachment of the Speaker, Rt Hon Paul Emeziem.
Emeziem who presided over the last plenary of the House last week when his Deputy was said to have been removed through a resolution signed by eighteen lawmakers have been kicked out of the way by same group of persons.
Events of the last Tuesday’s session, has left the House in disarray. Discordant tunes had trailed impeachment of Amara Iwuanyanwu as Speaker which destabilized the House forcing it not to reconvene for plenary last Thursday having adjourned to that date.
Trumpeta learnt there was alignment and re-alignment on the part of the lawmakers who went into closed door meetings on the next line of action.
While the resumption of the House was been awaited for today, another impeachment exercise took place yesterday.
Trumpeta learnt that in the early hours of Monday, stern looking policemen suspected to be from Government House Owerri took over the Assembly complex and allowed only selected members inside.
Within seconds, some of the lawmakers who have not met on a Monday were spotted inside for plenary with few chamber staff present.
It was learnt that when the speaker got wind of the plan and raced with his convoy to the complex, he was not only locked out but reported to have been molested. Meanwhile, his colleagues were inside perfecting the impeachment.
The impeachment of Speaker Emeziem, through a motion obtained by Trumpeta Newspaper hinged on five main allegations bordering on forgery, high-handedness and conduct likely to cause instability in the House of Assembly.
Other sins of Emeziem according to them involved abuse of power and grave unparliamentary conduct.
The member representing Oru East State Constituency, Hon Chigozie Nwaneri moved the impeachment motion, and was seconded by his Oguta counterpart, Hon Frank Ugboma.
It was further learnt that the impeachment gavel hit the Onuimo House member following the manner that preceded Iwuanyanwu’s removal.
He was accused of forging names and signatures to complete the number constitutionally recognized to carry out the process for the impeachment of Iwuanyanwu
A member who spoke to this newspaper under anonymity said that House after thorough scrutiny on events surrounding Amara Iwuanyanwu’s removal went back to drawing board to plot Speaker’s removal.
Along the line, they found out that the sacked Speaker didn’t consider the two-third majority votes of the members, and went ahead to strike the gavel against his Deputy.
The development didn’t go down well with them, but to do the needful.
The member for Njaba Constituency, Rt Hon Uju Onwudiwe who served as the “Speaker pretempore” in carrying out the resolution of the House as moved by Hon Emeka Nduka, and seconded by Rt Hon Arthur Egwim, immediately reinstated Rt Hon Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu as Deputy Speaker.
It was revealed that Amara Iwuanyanwu’s reinstatement followed a due process having dictated that he never committed any impeachable offense, nor the process of his removal legal.
Another phase of the surprise action witnessed during the yesterday’s sitting was the election of a new Speaker.
After the Speaker pretempore, Onwudiwe concluded her assignment of presiding for the recall of the Deputy Speaker, an election of a New Speaker was held.
Uju Onwudiwe nominated Kennedy Ibeh, while the Ihitte/Uboma lawmaker, Michael Onyemaechi Njoku seconded. The members numbering nineteen however voted Ibeh in as the new number one Member.
The Obowo newly emerged Speaker from Obowo state constituency was sworn-in immediately.
As at press time, the Assembly complex along the Heroes Square boulevard was heavily surrounded by uniform men who ensured a hitch free exercise.
Meanwhile, the action of the lawmakers on Tuesday didn’t end with the removal of Emeziem as Speaker. Suspension orders were handed to the impeached Speaker and two others; Rt Hon Okey Onyekamma and Hon Ekene Nnodumele of Mbaitoli and Orsu state constituencies respectively. They were sanctioned.
Efforts to get the side of sacked Speaker, Emeziem proved abortive as a media aide told Trumpeta on phone that no comment for now.
