From Harry Awurumibe in Awka, Anambra
The gale of impeachments pervading Nigeria’s States House of Assembly have hit Imo State as the
lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, on Monday morning impeached the Speaker, Rt. Honourable Paul Emeziem.
He was immediately replaced with Hon. Kennedy Ibe from Obowo State Constituency.
Prompt News reports that the exercise was carried out amidst tight security with 19 of the 27 lawmakers said to have signed the impeachment papers.
It was also learnt that the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Amarachukwu Iwuanyanwu, who was impeached last week, stormed the Chambers with six lawmakers and some security personnel to execute the impeachment plot against the Speaker.
Rumours have been rife in Imo state for the past weeks of the impeachment of Speaker Emeziem alleged to be an ally of the Executive arm of government.
Imo State House of Assembly has been rocked by crisis since Governor Hope Uzodimma was installed as the governor in January 2020 after the Supreme Court declared him winner of the 1999 Imo Guber polls in a ruling that remains controversial to even none legal minds.
Hon. Iwuanyanwu himself was removed as Speaker on November 2 through a resolution signed by 18 out of the 27 lawmakers of the Assembly, which was presented before the plenary.
Member for Orsu State Constituency, Hon. Ekene Nnodim, submitted the resolution.
Receiving the resolution, the now impeached Speaker, Emezim said, “Since this resolution was signed by 18 members, out of the 27, the resolution stands.”
In July 2021, Emezim pronounced an indefinite suspension of six lawmakers, accusing them of engaging in ‘unparliamentary conduct’.
The affected lawmakers are Hons. Kennedy Ibe (Obowo) now Speaker; Uche Ogbuagu (Ikeduru); Anyadike Nwosu (Ezinihitte Mbaise); Onyemaechi Njoku (Ihitte Uboma); Philip Ejiogu, (Owerri North) and Dominic Ezerioha (Oru West).
The suspension had resulted in pandemonium at the plenary as gunshots rented the air before the Speaker was shielded out of the Assembly complex.
Incidentally, the Assembly announced the recall of the suspended members the day the Deputy Speaker was impeached.
Emezim said the legislators had repented, hence the decision to lift the suspension.
There has not been any comment from the Imo State Governor on the development.
