Abia lawmakers impeach Speaker, elect Njoku

The Abia State House of Assembly members yesterday impeached their Speaker, Martins Azubuike and replaced him with Kennedy Njoku.

Njoku emerged after he polled 20 votes against the four polled by Chikwendu Kanu, representing Isiala Ngwa South. Both are of the PDP.

Azubuike was accused of failing to ensure equitable distribution of positions and powers among the legislators, including being insensitive to the rights and needs of members and members of staff of the Assembly, autocratic practices which were said brought the House on collision course with other arms of government and agencies of Abia State and abuse of office of the Speaker by using same for personal and private political interest.

The Deputy Speaker, Cosmos Ndukwe, who presided over the session, said that 20 members signed for Azubuike’s removal, stressing that the number exceeded the mandatory 16 required by law.