· Kennedy Ibeh sworn in as new Speaker
The outrage by mainly APC supporters that trailed impeachment of Rt Hon Amara Chyna Iwuanyannwu as Deputy Speaker of Imo State house of Assembly has been justified as the Nwangele born lawmaker has been reinstated to his former position as the Speaker, Paul Emeziem who was accused ofmasterminding the ill fated impeachment in connivance with the opposition was yesterday impeached and replaced with Hon Kennedy Ibe who was sworn in immediately.
Commenting on the development, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Dele Onyemaechi, representing Owerri West State constituency said 19 out of the 27 legislators in the House endorsed Emeziem’s impeachment which most of the lawmakers described as good riddance to bad rubbish. It was gathered that the former Speaker, Paul Emeziem was impeached following several allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office, prompting 19 out of the 27 lawmakers to endorse his impeachment as a way of sanitizing and restoring the respect and dignity of the legislature which Paul Emeziem is said to have bastardized and thrown to the dogs.
It would be recalled that there have been persistent calls, subtle protests and agitations for the impeachment of Paul Emeziem as Speaker of the Imo State house of assembly by several groups and concerned Imolites who are not comfortable with his undemocratic actions, conduct and attitude which tend to have created a credibility image for the legislature.
The embattled former Speaker was accused of engaging in anti-party activities, withholding the allowances of members, illegal suspension of the Six re-instated lawmakers among other numerous allegations.
It was also said that the impeached Speaker in a desperate bid to have his way in outright violation of legislative due process and procedure as enshrined in the house rules and other extant laws often resorted to forgery, impersonation and blackmail. This became obvious as the four APC lawmakers who were reinstated shortly before the impeachment of Hon Amara Iwuanyanwu as Deputy Speaker last Tuesday have denied endorsing the Deputy Speaker’s impeachment as claimed by Paul Emeziem in the print, electronic and social media.
Hon Barr Dominic Ezerioha representing Oru West State constituency, Kennedy Ibeh of Obowo state constituency, Uche Ogbuagu of Ikeduru state constituency and the Ihitte Uboma lawmaker, Hon Michael Njoku in a release they jointly signed, dated November, 8, said,”We the four Members of Imo State House of Assembly of APC extraction who were suspended on the 8th of July 2021 by Speaker Paul Emeziem wish to clearly disassociate ourselves and our signatures from any action including but not limited to the purported impeachment of Rt. Hon. Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu the Deputy Speaker.
“This very fundamental statement comes from the information we have that our names and signatures appear in documents Mr. Speaker Paul Emeziem is parading as evidence of 18 signatories
“We state without equivocation that we were suspended unjustly, lucky to be reinstated after about 4 months but are yet to resume office talkless of engaging in any form of Parliamentary activities.
This, most people say, “attest to the former Speaker, Emeziem’s questionable and antecedents, lack of character, integrity and penchant for going to the extreme to in a bid to achieve his ulterior motives which most times are not in tandem with the wish of the people”.
The motion for the impeachment of Paul Emeziem as Speaker was sponsored by Hon Chigozie Nwaneri, representing Oru East State Constituency and endorsed by 19 lawmakers.
