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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji, yesterday survived impeachment earlier carried out on him by some members of the state House of Assembly.
Instead, Orji, in a deft manouvre, replaced his deputy, Ifeanyi Uchendu, who had also been suspended indefinitely along side nine other members.
This is even as Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has promised to wade into the crisis rocking the Assembly.
The other members who were suspended alongside the deputy Speaker include Okey Igwe, (Umunneochi); Obinna Ichita, (Aba South), Chukwu Chijioke (Bende North), Thomas Nkoro (Obingwa East), Chukwudi Apugo (Umuahia East), Chikwendu Kalu (Isiala Ngwa South) and Kennedy Njoku (Osisioma Ngwa North.)
The suspended members were said to be the masterminds of the botched impeachment.
Some members of the Assembly were said to have at about 9am gathered somewhere outside the Chambers of the House and impeached the Speaker.
Orji’s removal followed a motion moved by Kennedy Njoku (PDP, Osisioma Ngwa North) and seconded by Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, (APC, Bende North).
No official reason was given for the said removal but it was gathered that it was at the promptings of a certain force in the PDP who wanted a standing rule in the Assembly to be amended, to make it possible for a first timer to be elected Speaker.
“This standing rule has been a torn in the flesh of a certain force in the PDP, who wants its anointed candidate, a first timer, to be the Speaker at all costs. For the anointed candidate to be nominated on June 12 as Speaker, the rules must be amended, which the impeached Speaker opposed.”
The source said with Orji impeached and a new Speaker elected, the stage would have been set for the amendment of the rules to pave way for the emergence of the said anointed candidate.
The members elected Chukwudi Apugo (PDP, Umuahia East) as the new Speaker of the House.
However, in a swift move, Orji convened a sitting of the House in which the purported impeachment of the Speaker was not only quashed but those who ochesterated it were suspended.
In a motion moved by the member representing Umuahia South State Constituency, Jerry Uzosike and seconded by Ginger Onwusibe, the House frowned at the activities of the members and suspended them for one month without pay.
The House equally unanimously elected Mandela Obasi as the substantive deputy speaker.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu has called for a truce and offered to mediate in the crisis.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, the governor said with less than one month to the end of his administration and the ushering of a new one, it would make no sense to engage in any issue likely to plunge the state into any form of confusion.
“Governor Ikpeazu’s main preoccupation at the moment is how to pilot the ship of State peacefully and steadily into the new administration and tie up all administrative matters including the completion of key projects.
“The Governor, therefore, does not have the luxury of time and resources for any crisis at the moment. Above all, the mood in the State makes any such move inexpedient”.
Ikpeazu appealed to the Speaker and members of the House to maintain the peace and allow reason and patriotism to guide their actions.
Ikpeazu promised to meet the members soon.
