Chime, Odo, Onyebuchi
Chief Sunday Onyebuchi, impeached former Deputy Governor of Enugu State, may be having a drink at the moment, as the hammer of justice, which he prayed for, whilst exiting his official quarters at the end of his ordeal, has finally descended on the very people he placed the curse on – members of the Enugu State House of Assembly.
Onyebuchi had taken his case to God when he was impeached in August last year, about 10 months ago, for allegedly rearing chickens in his official quarter, a charge which he said was simply an euphemism to browbeat him as a result of his political ambition, with one word – Justice.
The House, where his impeachment was executed is not only currently in disarray following the intense bickering among its membership on the one hand and the state Governor, Sullivan Chime on the other, the Speaker that supervised the exercise, may also be kissing his plum job goodbye.
Cries of “injustice,” “impunity,” “brazenness,” amongst others, could be heard everywhere this morning as in the days of Onyebuchi, while accusing both Chime and the House members during his ordeal.
In the current saga, nine members of the Assembly led by Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji impeached the Speaker, Eugene Odo whilst suspending seven other members. Oji is the first Cousin of Governor Chime.
The impeachment came moments after Odo led 15 members in his camp to move a motion asking the Clerk of the House, Christopher Chukwura to serve impeachment notice on Governor Chime.
Moving for Chime’s impeachment, the law makers who met as early as 6.20 am further accused him of undermining the activities of House by the flagrant refusal to allow his Commissioners and aides respond to summons.
Moving for Chime’s impeachment, the law makers who met as early as 6.20 am further accused him of undermining the activities of House by the flagrant refusal to allow his Commissioners and aides respond to summons.
Chime was also accused of “forging the 2012 supplementary appropriation of the state amounting to N12billion” as well as disregarding due process in the award of N13billion workers secretariat, adding that the contract had been inflated to N21 billion without recourse to the House.
Chime
The 15 members also suspended the Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji, Deputy Leader John Kelvin Okuta and House Committee Chairman on health, Emeka Ugwuebo for alleged conduct that has brought the House to disrepute.
The 15 members also suspended the Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji, Deputy Leader John Kelvin Okuta and House Committee Chairman on health, Emeka Ugwuebo for alleged conduct that has brought the House to disrepute.
But no sooner had the 15 members, which met as early as 6.20am passed the resolution to impeach the governor adjourned their sitting till today (Tuesday) than a faction of the House members led by the Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji also met and impeached Speaker Odo and other principal officers.
The nine- member Chime Oji group, whose sitting started at exactly 7.04am unanimously, endorsed a new Speaker, Chinedu Nwamba, appointed new leader, Donatus Uzoagbado and new chief whip Emeka Ogbuabor.
They suspended eight others including Odo, John Anichukwu, Theresa Egbo, Okechukwu Nwoke, Paul Ogbe, Nze Michael Onyeze, Mrs Chika Eneh and House leader, Sunday Udeokoye.
Moving the motion for Chime’s impeachment, House leader, Sunday Udeokoye accused the governor of failing to furnish the lawmakers with details of the five billion naira counterpart funding for projects in the state.
“The governor also this morning tried to stop the proceeding of this Honourable House be sending policemen to block the entrance of the chamber. The governor has been acting with impunity and has refused to allow his commissioners and aides respond to summons by House members among other impeachable offences. I hereby move that this House empower the Clerk to serve him impeachment notice with immediate effect,” he said.
His position was supported by Paul Ogbe, who stated that the members must be allowed to perform their duties without interference from any quarter.
The motion was therefore unanimously adopted while the Clerk of the House, who incidentally sat with the nine other factional members, was directed to serve the impeachment notice on the governor.
Getting access into the House of Assembly premises by the Odo group was not an easy one.
Apparently aware of the division among them and the move by the factional members to impeach him, Odo had summoned and moved supporters loyal to him to the House premises as early as 5am.
Apparently aware of the division among them and the move by the factional members to impeach him, Odo had summoned and moved supporters loyal to him to the House premises as early as 5am.
They were however stopped at the entry gate by armed policemen. Various altercations had ensued between the law makers and the policemen. Thirty minutes later, they were allowed into the premises on the condition that none of their vehicles should be moved in.
The lawmakers had used every available object to break the keys leading to the entrances to the chambers before conducting their sitting.
The Odo group, which adjourned at exactly 6.37 am had met briefly at his office, where they wrapped and took the mace while leaving the premises of around 6.50 am.
Deputy Speaker, Chime Oji had immediately led his group of nine lawmakers into the premises to conduct their own proceeding.
The members had lifted the suspension of Johnbull Nwagu and restored his privileges, while setting aside their resolution of last month freezing the accounts of the state Universal Basic Education Board (ENSUBEB).
They also set aside the resolution directing Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) to stop dealing with ENSUBEB, stressing that their colleagues acted ultra vires.
Oji had presided over briefly before; John Okuta moved a motion, requesting approval of members to fill the vacancies that arose as a result of the suspension of the members especially the principle officers.
The motion was approved leading to the appointment of Nwamba as the new Speaker, Donatus Uzoagbado as the new leader and Emeka Ogbuabor became the new chief whip.
The other issues include the probing of the state universal Basic education board over the execution of N3.6billion renovation jobs for primary schools in the state as well as sale of Water Corporation to a private company, allegedly linked to the governor.
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