PRESSURE FORCES IMO SPEAKER LIFT SUSPENSION ON PREDECESSOR, ANOTHER LAWMAKER
In apparent bid to curtail mountain of criticism heaped at his doorstep over the manner he has been handling his colleagues since he became the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon Kennedy Ibeh has embarked on a U-turn about suspension clamped on some lawmakers.
Since coming on board last year November, six lawmakers have been in the cooler while two have been outrightly sacked making the total number of those who have received his hammer seven.
The action of the House under Ibeh has been receiving backlash from people of the State who have not only accused him of harsh approaches but also complained of the manner he hammers his colleagues at will.
The kick against Ibeh’s style got to a heightened crescendo last week when he sacked the member for Nkwerre, Hon Obinna Okwara for defection, making the number of those he has pushed out to be two.
Recall that irrespective of the suspended six lawmakers, Ibeh added expulsion by removing the former Ngor Okpala member, Tochi Okereke, and now Obinna Okwara.
Commentators have been expressing worry over the attitude of the Speaker and it appears their complaints are making him change style. Trumpeta correspondent learnt that after the outcry that greeted the removal of Okwara, Ibeh is trying to calm down and change style on his colleagues.
It was on the basis that two of them have been asked to come back under what the leadership of the House claimed they were pardoned for apologizing for unparliamentary conduct. The two persons Speaker Ibeh pardoned are former Speaker, Paul Emeziem who also suspended him, and member for Isu state constituency, Ngozi Obiefule.
The two got sanctions moments Ibeh took over alongside four others; Okey Onyekanma, Ekene Nnodumele, Arthur Egwim (now recalled), and Sacked Obinna Okwara.
EDDY OBINNA’S MOTION FOR FULL ACCREDITATION OF IMSUTH, COLLEGE OF MEDICINE GETS ASSEMBLY BACKING
•EXTOLS GOVERNOR, SEEKS WAIVER TO RECRUIT MORE PROFESSIONALS
If there is any House member of the 9th Imo Assembly to be remembered after this dispensation for his people oriented motions, it will definitely go to the man for Aboh Mbaise, Hon Chief Eddy Obinna.
Since their inauguration in June 2019, Eddy Obinna has shown uniqueness in his choice of motions and contributions on the floor of the House.
The latest point scored by him was a motion urging the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to further equip the health facilities at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, IMSUTH, Orlu, as well as the College of Medicine, inorder to attain full accreditation by Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Leading the debate during Tuesday, April 12, 2022 plenary session, Hon Obinna, who holds a principal position of the Deputy Chief Whip, commended the Governor for his relentless efforts in getting the aforementioned institutions working, unlike how he met it.
He lauded Uzodimma for his continued intervention at the IMSUTH and College of Medicine, while also called his attention not to stop until the two schools get the full accreditation.
He recalled that as a result of many lost in accreditation in the past, students whose stay ought not to have exceeded 6years graduated eleven and ten years after, respectively.
Hon Obinna noted that since 2004 the teaching hospital was established for the purposes of admitting medical students, it is yet to attain the required greater heights.
The Lawmaker reeled out that part of the factors why the schools lost accreditation boardered on poor structure, lack of modern medical equipment, and other health apparatuses.
Again, he disclosed that lack of medical professionals led to the stagnation of students in the school, which made them to stay so long before graduating.
Part of the prayers of the motion stated,
“Conscious of the fact that the present administration under the able leadership of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma gallantly took up the issue of lack of accreditation by providing some of the much needed structures and equipment thereby restoring partial accreditation to the school;
“Observing that due to the restoration of partial accreditation, the School was able to graduate 2 sets with each set consisting of 58 students and this is really commendable knowing that those 2 sets of students had spent 11 years and 10 years respectively in Medical School for a course that would normally take 6 years to complete;
“Noting further that another batch of 62 students are supposed to graduate by June/July this year but the plan for this may be hindered due to the School having not gotten-full accreditation as a result of non availability of some critical infrastructure, equipment and relevant manpower in the medical field”.
After a painstaking debate, the House presided by the Speaker, Rt Hon Kennedy Ibeh, resolved to commend the Governor for his administration’s efforts so far in putting up relevant structures that resulted in the restoration of partial accreditation which in turn led to the graduation of 2 sets of medical students who had spent 11 years and 10 years respectively in School for a 6 year course.
The House further urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to intervene, by equipping the Teaching Hospital to the minimum standard required for full accreditation by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
Another resolution moved was to urge the governor to grant waiver to the Teaching Hospital to employ the Consultants and other Medical Professionals needed to fill the vacancies existing at the Hospital.
Also, a resolution to approve the construction of Doctors’ quarters within the Hospital premises to end the issues caused by not having consultants on ground to attend to emergency situations especially at odd hours, was keenly passed into resolution.
ERA OF APOLOGY: HOUSE ABANDONS MBAITOLI, ORSU LAWMAKERS FOR REFUSING TO APOLOGIZE?
As the present 9th Imo State House of Assembly gradually fades away with the approach of next election, Imolites won’t forget in a hurry that there was a time ‘open apology’ was the only condition to be readmitted into the House after suspension.
This may be the reason why two remaining Lawmakers on suspension under the Rt Hon Kennedy Ibeh House have not been called back to resume their legislative mandate of their constituents.
The Lawmakers; Hon Okey Onyekanma of Mbaitoli (PDP), and Hon Ekene Nnodumele representing Orsu (APC) are still serving their suspension,over an alleged unparliamentary conduct.
Both were suspended on November 2021 after an impeachment attempt on the Deputy Speaker, Amara Iwuanyanwu was foiled.
It could be recalled that Onyekanma and Nnodumele were barred from the House of Assembly along with the former Speaker, Paul Emeziem.
Trumpeta Correspondent gathered that out of the three earlier suspended, Emeziem was granted pardon on Tuesday after reading his apology letter and recommendation by the adhoc committee.
The Committee report with Kanayo Onyemaechi, Frank Ugboma, Emeka Nduka, and Johnson Duru informed that Emeziem had shown remorse and agreed that he acted on unparliamentary manner.
Before Emeziem, member for Isu, Hon. Ngozi Obiefule also tendered an open letter admitting that she acted in an unparliamentary manner. That guaranteed her return to the House on Tuesday.
Again, Ideato North member, Hon Arthur Egwim didn’t only tender his apology secretly, but did so openly on the social media. After which, his suspension was lifted.
Another Lawmaker who escaped the suspension hammer was Hon Solomon Anukam of Owerri Municipal. Anukam was clever enough to apologize in a State based cover newspaper, after an investigation committee was set up against him.
Following the recent history, it appears that both Onyekanma and Nnodumele may kiss farewell to the 9th House unless they toe the same path of their colleagues by making an open apology to the house leadership.
AS BLYDEN AMAJIRIONWU BECOMES THE NEW HIT MAN FOR 9TH ASSEMBLY
The daily events at the Imo State House of Assembly since commencement of the 9th House have continued to unravel the special breed each Lawmaker is made of.
The story of the present dispensation would be incomplete without references to the name of the Ngor Okpala Lawmaker, Hon Blyden Amajirionwu.
Barely two months he was inaugurated after winning a bye-election for Ngor Okpala Assembly seat, Amajirionwu can be said to have become the arrow head of the House strike force.
Before now, it was the still suspended Orsu Lawmaker, Ekene Nnodumele who used to carry out the task. Nnodumele became famous for moving motions to get against his colleagues. The fair skinned Lawmaker moved the motion that sacked Chiji Collins, the former Speaker, and was behind the failed impeachment motion against the Deputy Speaker, Amara Iwuanyanwu.
Amajirionwu first showed his suspected undertaker approach with a motion targeted at either suspending or sacking the member for Owerri Municipal seat, Hon Solomon Anukam.
From the motion moved, Amajirionwu claimed that Anukam disrespected the office of the Governor for recognizing the former Imo governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha in a national television, AIT.
Sequel to that, he prayed the house to set up an investigation committee to try Anukam of the offense.
Although, the Speaker hearkened to his prayer by constituting a committee, Amajirionwu further pushed and promised to present a video footage to back his claims.
Till date, Anukam escaped, although after making an apology to the House on that regard of addressing Ihedioha as his Governor, instead of Uzodimma.
Again, the ruckus of last two weeks plenary which saw the declaration of the seat of Nkwerre Lawmaker, Obinna Okwara vacant has further distinguished him as the hitman of the House, who delivers when it comes to suspending or sacking his fellow colleagues from the House. He also moved the motion against Okwara of Nkwerre.
As it stands, members readjusts their positions at the chamber whenever the new Ngor Okpala Lawmaker raises hands or stands up during plenary, with the belief that something sinister is about to hit any of them.
