.My removal unconstitutional, a nullity -Orji
Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and Chairman, Publicity and Media Rt Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu disclosed Tuesday that Speaker of the 7th Abia House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji has been impeached.
He said impeachment was a result of Orji’s high-handedness, misconduct, alleged embezzlement of funds among other things, adding that it was done within the ambit of the law.
Hon. Chukwudi Apugo subsequently emerged as the new Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly.
Speaking with newsmen in Umuahia, Rt. Hon. Uchendu pointed out that “the members that impeached the former Speaker sat on Government property, and impeached him” adding that Orji ran the House like his own personal business which necessitated the impeachment.
He said that as lawmakers, they are supposed to sit at least for 180 days in a year, informing that they didn’t meet the stipulated number of days as stipulated in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
Continuing, Hon Uchendu said that Rt. Hon. Orji has not been carrying all members along in what he has been doing and has refused to listen to advice to get a remedy to the series of problems that he caused in the House.
Commenting on why it took them time to impeach him, Uchendu, said they have been gathering signatures as well as expected him to change, but to no avail.
He maintained that they acted in accordance with the constitution, stressing that the constitution required that such action must be carried out on any government premises.
On the purported suspension of the 16 House Assembly members that impeached Orji, Uchendu pointed out that the 16 members formed a quorum and met the provisions of the constitution bothering on the impeachment of the Speaker, describing the suspension presided over by Orji as drama and not done in accordance with the law
Meanwhile, the Abia State House of Assembly has dismissed the purported impeachment of its speaker Rt Hon Orji, by some members of the house led by its former Deputy Speaker Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu.
This was made known during a preliminary session of the House presided by Orji, on Tuesday.
A member of the House Hon Jerry Uzosike, during the preliminary, described the move as unconstitutional, disgraceful and against the rules of the House.
He moved a motion that all the members involved in the alleged impeachment move should be suspended with immediate effect and a new deputy speaker elected.
The motion was seconded by the member representing Isialangwa North state constituency Hon Giger Onwusibe.
The speaker in reaction put the motion to vote and all the nine members present voted in favour of the motion.
Orji subsequently announced the suspension of the nine members involved in the purported impeachment move for one month without benefits.
He said I have been a humble speaker irrespective of my background. “That I’m quiet does not mean that I don’t know what to say or that I can’t talk.
“I have tolerated a lot of insults and humiliation not from the governor of the state, but from those who think that they are assistant governors, but I have been quiet because my family member had been a governor and I respect the office of the governor”.
The speaker also set up a committee to investigate the members involved in the purported impeachment move.
Continuing, the House elected the member representing Ohafia North state constituency Hon Egwuonwu Obasi as her new deputy Speaker.
