Imo Assembly serves speaker with impeachment notice

By Val Okara, Owerri

The crises rocking the Imo state House of Assembly on Wednesday took a dangerous dimension as members of state House of Assembly served an impeachment notice on the Speaker of the House, Iheanacho Ihim.

The notice dated and signed by 21 members of the House also disclosed that they had elected the representative of Onuimo state Constituency, Chinedu Offor (AA) as the pro tempo speaker of the House while allegations against the speaker are investigated.

Offor, the pro tempo speaker who read the impeachment notice, briefed journalists after the plenary on Wednesday

It was gathered that the speaker during the plenary session had read a letter of apology from the suspended local government council chairmen and ruled that they should be recalled without calling for a vote.

The speaker was said to have shouted down members who raised objections on the apology brought by the suspended council chairmen, but the speaker quickly adjourned plenary and left with the House Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji (Owerri Municipal).

Aggrieved members who described the walk out as a slight stayed behind in the hallowed chambers even after power supply had been cut off.

Addressing journalists at the House of Assembly, Offor stated that Ihim had consistently ran the affairs of the House without recourse to parliamentary process, stressing that his action at plenary was an insult to the other lawmakers.

According to him, the speaker has taken a unilateral decision to recall the suspended local government council chairmen contrary to their resolution at an executive session.

He added that efforts by members to speak after invoking Order 15 of the House rules were rebuffed by the speaker who quickly adjourned without giving room for the inputs of other members.

He further disclosed that the majority leader of the House has been removed and replaced by Lloyd Chukwuemeka (Owerri North) following a resolution signed by 14 members of the House.