For showcasing incompetence and gross misapplication of House rules during plenary session, the Clerk of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr Chris Duru is in trouble as the state legislature shop for his replacement.
It would be recalled that Duru, a lawyer was under fire last week when some lawmakers requested him to step aside and leave the Chamber during plenary session to enable the House discuss a petition bordering on general inefficiency in the discharge of his duties, alleged improper acts, unruly behaviour and gross negligence of staff welfare brought against him by an aggrieved worker.
While the dust raised by the petition which polarized members of the House was yet to settle, the Clerk who is equivalent to a permanent Secretary in the Ministry, again, incurred the wrath of the lawmakers when the Governor visited the Assembly to present next year’s budget on Monday.
In contrast to accepted rules of House proceedings, the Clerk put the Assembly into podium of ridicule as he moved a motion meant for the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Adaku Ihuoma of Ahiazu Mbaise. The leadership of the house, members and visitors who are familiar with House rules and proceedings were stunned to watch Duru move the first motion contained in Order of the Day.
Instead of allowing the Majority Leader exercise her constitutional role and statutory functions, the Clerk exhibited legislative ineptitude by moving the H.A.M. 91 motion which states “Be it resolved by this Honourable House that His Excellency Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha (OON) and his entourage be admitted unto the chamber of this Honourable House for the purpose of presenting the 2013 budget.” The pronouncements borne out of incompetence embarrassed the House Members who could not help but murmur over the Clerk’s improper manner of trying to usurp the functions of the state lawmakers to the chagrin of keen Assembly watchers.
Another expression of the Clerk’s gross incompetence and dereliction of duty was the inability to properly recap the Resolution of the State Assembly resulting from the motion on urgent public importance moved by Hon Ike Amuka of Ideato South. After arguments and the necessary submissions by the lawmakers, the Clerk was expected to have done the recap of the Resolution. The shortfall led to unwarranted break in the proceeding of the House, which caused the lawmakers and their August visitors another undeserved embarrassment.
Imo Trumpeta learnt that the Clerk’s action generated interest among the visibly worried lawmakers who have commenced plans to remove him. The members hinged their quest for Duru’s replacement on the premise that he was not qualified to hold the position if the law dealing on appointment of Clerk/Permanent Secretary as enshrined in the Imo State House of Assembly Service Commission is relied upon. In the said law, a person qualified to be appointed Clerk shall have ten years uninterrupted cognate experience as a Deputy Clerk of the House. In the case of Duru, he did not function as a Deputy Clerk for ten years before the appointment.
It was the Clerk’s over zealousness that made him to swear in the Speaker after election during the inauguration of the House before he was consequently sworn in by Speaker Ben Uwajimogu
It was however gathered that Duru was allegedly appointed during the birth of the present administration to usher in the new House as he was said not to be qualified for the tactical job of being in charge of the administration of the legislative arm of government if experience is considered for the position.
