By Charles Igbo
The Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Paul Emeziem, has been impeached at Plenary by his colleagues in the morning of Monday, November 8.
In an irony of fate, one of the six members of the House, earlier suspended, Kennedy Ibeh, was immediately sworn-in as his replacement. Ibeh and Co. were recalled only last week.
Emeziem’s impeachment is like tit for tat. Last week, he had presided over the impeachment of his powerful Deputy, Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.
But the action sparked controversy as no replacement was elected. Many dismissed Iwuanyanwu’s impeachment as a ruse. But Emeziem insisted Iwuanyanwu was legally impeached by 18 members of the Assembly, and that he was bound by that.
Not a few people close to Governor Hope Uzodimma condemned Emeziem, and said his days as Speaker were numbered.
Iwuanyanwu is particularly close to Uzodimma who was out of town when he was impeached. A couple of days after the purported impeachment, the Governor at a State function, acknowledged him as Deputy Speaker.
Today, November 8, Emeziem was impeached for gross misconduct, among other issues, by 19 of his colleagues. Ibeh was immediately sworn-in as replacement.
The ground for Emeziem’s impeachment was prepared when four out of the six suspended members, denied signing any impeachment document against Iwuanyanwu, who, it does seem, remains Deputy Speaker.
Following is their letter of denial.
A RELEASE OF IMO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OF APC EXTRACTION WHOSE SUSPENSION WAS RELAXED ON NOV. 2ND 2021
“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 Parliementry activities.
“Thank you.
*Hon. Barr. Dominic Ezerioha
*Rt. Hon. Barr. Kennedy Ibeh
*Hon. Uche Ogbuagu
Hon. Michael Njoku
….More details, later.
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