By Onyekachi Eze
The absence of the Members for Mbaitoli and Orlu State Constituencies, Honorables Okey Onyekanma, and Ekene Nnodumele respectively during Buhari’s visit to the Imo State House of Assembly has elicited public reactions.
The duo were nowhere to be found on Tuesday, either at the venues of Road Commissioning, or at the Assembly Complex.
Throughout the event, the eagle eyes of Trumpeta Newspaper went clockwise to notice if the two Lawmakers could be sighted, but all to no avail, they were missing in action.
Authoritative sources told this newspaper that following the suspension punishment handed on them by the Speaker, they were not communicated.
Onyekanma and Nnodumele have been on suspension for the past 10 months since the enthronement of Speaker Kennedy Ibeh.
In event of such magnitude that had the presence of the number one citizen of Nigeria in Imo, it was expected that the House Leadership before then would have lifted their suspension so as to join others in whatever arrangement or event.
Rather, their cases were padlocked as if nothing was wrong.
Grapevine sources further revealed that before the day, Lawmakers met on different occasions to make input concerning the success of the just held visit.
Except for any of them outside the shores of Imo State or Nigeria, all the Members participated.
A concern to this effect therefore was raised as to why the Speaker who before his emergence have tasted the sourness of suspension, and should from his experience call back his suspended colleagues.
It was on that premise that worry was heightened whether Onyekanma and Nnodumele would forfeit all their entitlements.
The continued delay in lifting the suspension ban, many pundits posit is not only an infringement on the democratic tenets of the land, but an indirect shutting down of the Constituencies involved.
