· Suspended members recalled after tendering apology
There are speculations that members of the 9th Imo State house who had been severally described as appendages of the executive arm have been further cowed into submission following the vacation of the seat of Hon Obinna Okwara, representing Nkwerre state constituency for defecting from the APC to the PDP.
It was gathered that, about seven legislators who had indicated their intention to dump the APC for PDP and other political parties last week have suddenly developed cold feet to avoid being victims of the vindictive treatment meted out to Hon Okwara, hence they refrained from taking courageous and decisive steps in line with their conscience and the realities on ground.
The source hinted that the Governor was talked into believing that if Hon Obinna Okwara was not punished to serve as a deterrent, other lawmakers will defect from APC thereby giving the party a minority status which would not be in the interest of the governor who would stand the risk of being impeached.
A source at the house of Assembly complex told this reporter that, “sycophancy has become a tool for survival at the house of assembly. “The situation has become so bad that if you don’t commend, congratulate or sing the praise of the governor for his purported developmental strides or apologize for non-existent and imaginary misdeed, you will be witch hunted, suspended or would not be recalled from unnecessary and ill-motivated suspension.”
Continuing, he said, “all that is going on in the Imo State house of assembly are said to be in line with the governor’s directive whose preconceived script the leadership of the house is compelled to act at all times and in all circumstances.”
Some of those who were recalled from suspension are Hon Arthur Egwim of Ideato North State constituency whose letter of apology was read on the floor of the house, Hon Ngozi Obiefule, of Isu state constituency.The next person is the controversial and highly discredited former Speaker and member representing Onuimo state constituency, Hon Paul Emeziem.
Some political pundits who commented on the worrisome state of affairs in the Imo state house of assembly said, “it is quite disheartening that the Governor has castrated members of the Imo state house of assembly who are not only terrified but seem to have not only lost confidence in themselves but have also become jittery, frightened and scared of the big stick the Speaker wields at the instance of the Governor who dictates the pace.”
