–Majority Leader, Mbaitoli Lawmaker, Ikpamezie Flex Muscles
The newly inaugurated 10th Imo House of Assembly has been engulfed by crisis that will, if not properly handled,will tear it into shreds to the detriment of Imo people.
A staff of the Assembly who does not want to be mentioned told this reporter that some members of the House who were disappointed at the turn of events in respect of the appointment of Principal officers seem to have vowed to place hurdles on the way of the new leadership of the 10th House who they harbor one grouse or the other against.
‘’For instance the member, representing Mbaitoli State Constituency, Hon Innocent Ikpameze, who has been the Governors aide and confidant has been in a cold war with his Owerri West Counterpart who has returned as the Majority Leader of the 10th House.
It was also gathered that Ikpamezie who was the General Manager of Owerri Capital Development Authority OCDA is also at logger heads with the Clerk, Chinelo Emeghara who also hails from Mbaitoli Local Government Area for not openly supporting him for the position during the election of Principal Officers.
The Assembly source who is conversant with the intrigues and behind the scene manipulations that led to the emergence of the Principal officers of the House further disclosed ‘’that the Clerk had nurtured and maintained a good working relationship with the Majority Leader and Member for Owerri West State Constituency, Hon Kanyo Onyemaechi.
‘’Some members had were said to have worked against the interest of Hon Ikpazie in order to curtail his excesses and overbearing influence.
Ikpamezie, a first timer who contested election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress APC and beat the former Deputy Speaker of the House and immediate past lawmaker for Mbaitoli State Constituency, Hon Okey Onyekanma was said to have been shocked and disappointed at the emergence of Hon Kanyo Onyemaechi as Majority Leader, after he, (Ikpamezie) had been assured by the governor, even before the March, 18 election that the slot will be ceded to him.
The source disclosed that, “Ikpamezie had prepared himself to celebrate his eventual emergence as the Leader of the House. He never knew it would turn out this way. He is currently in secret war with the Clerk whom he felt worked against him during the election.
“Moreover, the fact that all the Principal Officers retained their positions in the 10th was enough reason for him to grudge. Ikpamezie is currently not happy with the whole arrangement but he is only pretending to be.
“He is fighting tooth and nail, using his closeness with the Governor and other top government officials, to remove the Majority Leader, Kanayo Onyemaechi.”
