Police Take Over Ebonyi Assembly …As House Gets Female Speaker

Riot policemen averted vio
lence at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, following the impeachment of the Speaker, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku. Eighteen out of the 24 lawmakers, impeached the Speaker and elected Helen Nwaobasi (Abakaliki South) as Speaker.
The members lifted the suspension placed on the three legislators – Frank Onwe, Eni Uduma Chime and Deputy Speaker, Blaise Orji.
Chris Usulor (Ezza South) moved a motion for the Speaker’s impeachment. It was seconded by the Minority Leader, Enyi C. Enyi (Ezza North West). Thereafter, Eni Uduma Chima (Afikpo South West) moved a motion for the election of Helen Nwaobasi which was seconded by Jerry Obasi (Ohaozara West).
The members listed seven impeachable offences allegedly committed by the Speaker, bordering on corruption, incompetence and violation of oath of office. They also accused the Speaker of a conduct likely to cause a breach of the constitution.
The lawmakers said: “Section 104 of the constitution provides that the House of Assembly of every state must sit for a minimum of 181 days in a year. But as at today under Nwazunku, the House has only sat for 17 times inclusive of today’s emergency sitting. The Speaker violated the code of conduct as contained in part one of the fifth schedule of the constitution. As a public officer, the only business he is permitted by law to do is any business in agriculture.
“Nwazunku is the leading real estate businessman in Ebonyi State, and carries out his transactions on land and landed property. He would proudly show his land measurement tape in the booth of his official car. At times he even carries beacon of pillars in his official vehicles. “Incompetence is also a major reason for the former Speaker’s impeachment. His education is grossly insufficient. After over two years in his former position, his presiding over the House is still dependent on the pieces of papers of guidance from the floor of the Assembly, particularly from the desk of Odefa Obasi Odefa.
The House also suspended Mabel Aleke representing (Ohaukwu South), Ogbonnaya Nwifuru (Izzi West), Chukwuma Nwazuku (Ebonyi East) and Obasi Odefa (Onicha East).
The impeachment led to an uproar, which could have turned bloody, as the groups loyal to both camps besieged the Assembly to fight for their candidates. The impeached Speaker stormed the Assembly with his supporters, but they were not allowed into the premises by the supporters of the new Speaker.
As tempers rose, the policemen attached to the Assembly were forced to shoot into the air to prevent an escalation of the crisis. The former Speaker then left, but some of his loyal members, especially Odefa, were allowed into the House on the order of the new Speaker.
Minutes later, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, O.S. Faleye, stormed the Assembly with a reinforcement of police officers. This brought the total number of policemen to about 100. Faleye, after listening to the leaders of both camps, told them that he was in the House to keep the peace.
Briefing reporters, the erstwhile Speaker described his impeachment as a rumour and an illegality.
Said he: “For me, I know that it is not true, because we are on recess. Besides, I have my members. If I call them now they will come. Police are there to protect the Assembly from the people, who are trying to perpetrate illegality. There are procedures to impeach a Speaker and right now, three of the members of their group are out.
But the member representing Afikpo South West, Eni Uduma Chima, debunked Nwazunku’s allegation that his impeachment was illegal.
“We are not lawless like the former Speaker. What we did was to invoke the power conferred on the Assembly by Section 101, which gives us power to declare recess, summon recess, conduct emergency sittings and regulate our proceedings. “And from that power we suspended the House rules, which required seven days notice before you impeach the Speaker,” he said.