By Gideon Njoku
Speaker Collins Chiji, of the Imo State House of Assembly, saved the biggest prize for the last minute. The Plenary, Tuesday, lasted for 15 minutes only. But the brief sitting was the most earth-shaking in the Assembly since its inauguration after the 2019 General Elections.
This magazine, quoting unimpeachable sources had, Tuesday morning, broken the news of a would-be earthquake in Imo House expected at its sitting later in the day. Its story had revealed that six members from the PDP would dump the party during plenary. The magazine had, also, disclosed that the Speaker, Collins Chiji, would dump the party, soon, so as to remain Speaker
When the time came, the story was confirmed, and more. Eight PDP members, including the Speaker, defected.
The Speaker had started slowly, deliberately, reading out letters from defectors, one after the other. A couple of the names shocked.
For instance, that of Eddie Obinna. Obinna represents former Governor Emeka Ihedioha’s constituency. Both of them come from same Aboh Mbaise. The thinking is; Too soon to stab his brother and dump him.
Another shocker was that of Uche Ogbuagu.
But only to the ignorant Ogbuagu, The Source (https://thesourceng.com) gathered, was already having problems with the PDP hierarchy in the state, unknown to Ihedioha. It got to the extent that he was, allegedly, slapped by the second highest political office holder in the state. He never forgot that humiliation. Defecting was the pay back.
Another Honourable member from Ohaji, Okoro Cyracus, suffered same fate from the same office holder. He also defected.
But the bomb, though expected, was that of Speaker Chiji. He reserved his defection for the last. After reading the letters of defection from others, he announced his own defection, to the applause of the full House and gallery.
There will be more defections at the next sitting. Honourables Samuel Otuibe, Ahiazu, and Paschal Okolie, Orlu are expected to do so.
The defections, a consequence of the change of baton in the state, has propelled the APC from zero-membership to the majority. At the last count, the party is flaunting 18 members in the 27-member House.
A number of other people are also defecting. The most prominent, the State Chairman of the PDP, Charles Ezekwem.
Members of the Assembly who defected on Tuesday include: Speaker Chiji, Majority Leader, Chigozie Nwaneri, Obinna, Ogbuagu, Kennedy Ibe, Dominic Ezerioha, Anayo Onyemechi, and Michael Njoku.
An angry PDP top shot dismissed the defectors as men without character.
