By Baron Ike
There is trouble with the Imo State House of Assembly leading to the resignation of some principal officers on Tuesday.
The divided House is believed to be the fall out of plans by some of the lawmakers to begin impeachment process against Governor Rochas Okorocha.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Kennedy Chidozie Ibe and the Chief Whip, Marcel Odunze, tendered their letters of resignation, and they have been replaced with Governor Okorocha’s lackeys in the House.
During yesterday’s plenary, out of the 27 lawmakers in Imo State, only 11 were at the chamber in the morning, and they are ; Speaker Acho Ihim (Okigwe), Deputy Speaker OZB (Nwangele), Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba), Uche Ejiogu (Ihitte Uboma), Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru), Arthur Egwim (Ideato North), Obinna Egu (Ngor Okpala), Ikonne (Owerri West), Nnataraonye (Mbaitoli), Chinedu Offor (Onuimo) and Lawman Duruji (Ehime Mbano).
The remaining 16 lawmakers were absent and there are insinuations they are unhappy with developments in the state and about to do something urgently.
There are speculations they planning Governor Okorocha’s removal on or before December 12.
Earlier, the Imo State Assembly Speaker issued a two week suspension on Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji. He was thereafter replaced.
Following the resignation of the Chief Whip and Deputy Majority Leader, Arthur Egwim (Ideato North) , Chinedu Offor (Onuimo), Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru) emerged Chief Whip, Deputy Majority Leader and Majority Leader respectively.
Sources close to the Speaker said the lawmakers who resigned were pressured to do so by the powers that be in the Okorocha’s government. “They may have resigned to save their lives,” said a credible source residing in Owerri.
Another source said: ” They are just waking up from their slumber. They are realising too late the damage they have endorsed over the years. I hope they know what to do.”
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