Imo lawmakers suspend speaker, majority leader

Ekiti assembly reinstates ex-speaker, four others

Anxiety gripped Imo State yesterday following the suspension of the assembly speaker, Acho Ihim, by 21 of the 27 members. Ihim was replaced by Chinedu Offor (representing Onuimo), while Lloyd Chukwuemeka of Owerri North took over from Lugard Osuji as majority leader.

The Guardian gathered that trouble started when the speaker adjourned plenary and made away with the mace. This was immediately after reading a letter announcing the lifting of the suspension slammed on the 27 council chairmen by the house last week.Angered by the action of the speaker, who left with Osuji, the lawmakers decided to suspend the duo and announced a temporary speaker and majority leader.

Offor told journalists that the 21 lawmakers had also served impeachment notices on the suspended lawmakers.He alleged that Ihim, in a bid to frustrate the impeachment move, had to order his aides to turn off the generating set supplying electricity to the complex.

The impeachment notice read by Offor was signed by 21 members of the house shortly after yesterday’s plenary.On the flip side, Ekiti assembly has lifted the suspension placed on the former speaker, Mr. Kola Oluwawole, and four other lawmakers.

The lawmakers were reinstated during yesterday’s plenary presided over by the Mr. Adeniran Alagbada. Former deputy speaker, Mr. Segun Adewumi; Mr. Abiola Jeje, (Ido-Osi II), Mr. Adesina Animasaun (Ekiti West II) and Mr. Dare Pelemo (Ekiti East II) were the other four that got reprieve. They were among those suspended last October over alleged passage of the N10 billion supplementary budget of former Governor Ayo Fayose.

The reinstatement followed the adoption of the report of the appeal panel committee chaired by Chief Gboyega Aribisogan (Ikole I). Motion for the adoption of the report was moved by Aribisogan and seconded by Mr Sunday Akinniyi (Ikere II).

Briefing journalists shortly after plenary, Aribisogan, who is also the house leader, said the assembly re-absorbed the affected members because they appealed and showed remorse for their actions.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) members, in the spirit of love, have made it possible for the successful plenary today for the reinstatement of the suspended members.

“Though the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) felt that the suspended members, who are mainly from their party, should not be reinstated because of internal (party) crisis, APC members opposed that.“The affected PDP members, who had earlier written letters of apology, are hereby reabsorbed,” Aribisogan said.