By Onyekachi Eze
It appears the return of the suspended members of the Imo State House of Assembly may not be feasible at the moment following what Trumpeta learnt has become of the latest development to their expected recall.
Going by the body language of the leadership of the House who has revealed that the affected lawmakers have come short of expectations, the suspended members will be enjoying more time outside the chambers after five months denial of constituency representation.
During Wednesday’s, March 30, 2022 plenary session, reports from the Imo Assembly have it that the suspended members are yet to do the needful by reporting themselves to the investigation committee in charge of the matter.
Recall that Honourables Ngozi Obiefule (Isu), Arthur Egwim (Ideato North), and Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre) were barred from Legislative activities by the Rt Hon Kennedy Ibeh time in the present 9th House. Others who had earlier been stopped from stepping into the complex immediately Ibeh took over are the former Deputy Speaker Okey Onyekamma of Mbaitoli, former Speaker Paul Emeziem of Onuimo, and Orsu representative, Ekene Nnodumele.
Speaker Kennedy Ibeh had given an insight that reason for the suspension of the first three lawmakers mentioned is linked to their relegation of a collective assignment of the House, concerning the 2022 budget approval for the State Government, even as there were suspicions that his sanction might not be unconnected to their presence at the burial ceremony of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu’s mother’s funeral at Nkwerre, which coincided almost same period the budget was presented at the House.
However, feeding the House on the development so far, the Chairman of the adhoc committee, Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi informed that none of the aforementioned three lawmakers accused of negligence has approached his committee for necessary review of their cases.
It was also disclosed that irrespective of the channels opened for an interface between them and the members; Obiefule, Egwim, and Okwara, have neither shown face nor met with Onyemaechi’s led committee.
As part of efforts towards ensuring full compliance, the speaker further mandated the committee to extend a formal letter of invitation to them.
Ibeh while making the assertion reiterated that the House will not tolerate legislative irresponsibility.
From what Trumpeta learnt, the directive to extend formal invitations to the suspended lawmakers concerns only the trio of Obiefule, Egwim and Okwara, leaving out Onyekamma, Emeziem and Nnodumele.
While the time gap to invite the affected three was not given which may be another tactical means to keep the suspended members out for more months again before their cases are treated on the floor of the House for possible recall, the fate of Onyekamma, Emeziem and Nnodumele remain unknown in the meantime.
