FIC Report (Abia State) – The Abia State House of Assembly says there is no plans to impeach the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu from office.
Addressing the Press after meeting with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba, the Members of the State House of Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu dismissed the rumour making the rounds in the social media that the House was planning to impeach the Governor.
Lending their voices, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Solomon Akpulonu and the Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwu Chijioke described the rumour as a figment of the imagination of the purveyors of the rumour. While also describing the rumour as a blatant lie from the pit of hell, the Members said that the House is yet to even reconvene after the election recess and wondered why such rumours should be receiving attention.
They said that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has done well in the State and the House is happy with him, hence , there is no need for any impeachment.
According to them, those carrying the rumour are only doing that to malign the State House of Assembly.
The Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwu Chijioke particularly pointed out that, there is no way an impeachment can be carried out without his knowledge as the Minority Leader.
The Members of the Abia State House of Assembly numbering 13 further urged Abians to disregard the unfounded rumour while assuring that they would sustain their support to Governor Ikpeazu to enable him complete his tenure successfully.
The impeachment saga has reached the House of Assembly in the past one week with counter impeachment and suspensions by ABHA Members.
The Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji has suspended the Deputy speaker Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu representing Ohafia South State Constituency and other 8 members.
The suspension was followed by a motion raised by member representing Umuahia South State Constituency Hon. Jerry Uzosike for the suspension of the deputy Speaker and others involved in an impeachment plot against the Abia Speaker Rt Hon.Chinedum Orji during a preliminary session of the House which was presided by the Speaker Orji on Tuesday.
Hon Uzosike in his petition described the move to suspend Chinedum Orji as unconstitutional, disgraceful and against the rules of the House.
The video which has now gone viral on the social media emerged on Tuesday morning where some members of the House sat in an undisclosed location, reportedly impeached the speaker and elected Hon Chukwudi Apugo as the new Speaker.
Hon Uzosike moved a motion that all the members involved in the alleged impeachment attempt should be suspended with immediate effect and new deputy speaker elected.
The motion was seconded by the member representing Isialangwa North state constituency Hon Ginger Onwusibe.
The speaker in his reaction put the motion to votes and all the nine members present voted in favour of the motion.
In his words, the speaker Rt Hon Chinedum Orji said, “I have been a humble speaker irrespective of my background, that I’m quite does not mean that I don’t know what to say or that I can’t talk”.
“I have tolerated a lot of insults and humiliation not from the governor of the state, but from those who think that they are assistant governors, but I have been quite because my family member had been a governor and I respect the office of the governor”.
Orji, thereafter announced the suspension of the nine members involved in the purported impeachment move for one month without benefits, set up a committee to investigate the member involved in purported impeachment move.
The House members also elected the members representing Ohafia North State Constituency Hon. Mandela Obasi as the new deputy Speaker of the 7th Assembly.
Meanwhile the Members suspended include
1. Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu
2. Rt Hon Kennedy Njoku
3. Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu
4. Hon. Chukwudi Apugo
5. Hon Aron Uzodike
6. Hon. Chijioke Chukwu
7. Hon. A.C. Thomas Nkoro
8. Hon. Okey Igwe
9. Hon. Obinna Ichita.
Cov. Okugo Nwadiuto Mabel
Fic Umuahia
