By Ambrose Nwaogwugwu
— Suspends 3 Members Indefinitely For Forgery, Desecration Of the house.
— Dissolves All Standing Committees
— Sets Up Adhoc Committee To Investigate Forgery Perpetrated by former Speaker Paul Emeziem.
The Imo State House of Assembly today, November 8, 2021 impeached her former speaker – Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem of Onuimo state constituency and elected a new speaker in the person of Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Kennedy Ibeh of Obowo State Constituency in an emergency sitting.
The impeachment followed after the member representing Oru East State constituency – Hon. Chigozie Nwaneri submitted a resolution which was read on the floor of the house plenary and was put to vote where all the 19 members voted in affirmation to remove the former speaker.
The former speaker was impeached for forgery, high handedness, conducts likely to cause instability in the house, abuse of power & office and grave unparliamentary conducts.
Members who signed and voted for the impeachment were:
- Hon. Kanayo ‘Dele’ Onyemaehi of Owerri West.
- Hon. Arthur Egwin of Ideato North.
- Hon. Duru I. Johnson of Ideato South.
- Rt. Hon. (Barr) Kennedy Ibeh of Obowo.
- Hon. Micheal crown of Ihitte-Uboma.
- Hon. Emeka Nduka of Ehime Mbano.
- Hon. Prince Obinna Okwara of Nkwere.
- Hon. Chigozie Nwaneri of Oru East.
- Hon. Dominic Ezerioha of Oru West.
- Hon. Okoro Cyracious of Ohaji/Egbema.
- Hon. Frank Ugbomma of Oguta.
- Rt. Hon. Uju Onwudiwe of Njaba.
- Hon. Uche Ogbuagu of Ikeduru.
- Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins of Isiala Mbano.
- Hon. Eddy Obinna of Aboh Mbaise.
- Hon. Anyadike Nwosu of Ezinihitte Mbaise.
- Rt. Hon. Ngozi Obiefule of Ịsụ.
- Hon. Otuibe Samuel of Ahiazu Mbaise.
- Rt. Hon. Chyna Amara Iwuanyanwu of Nwangele.
After the successful impeachment of the former speaker, the house in uniformity elected Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe of Obowo State Constituency, a ranking member as the new speaker of the house.
The house took due notice of a forgery of members signatures committed by the former speaker Paul Emeziem on November 2nd where he purported to impeach his deputy with 18 ‘ghost’ law makers as the members whose signatures were forged by the former speaker have come up to deny involvement while raising alarms for such criminality.
In the foregoing, the house set up an adhoc five (5) members committee to investigate the forgery claims leveled against the former speaker and his cohorts.
The five (5) members adhoc committee included:
- Hon. Kanayo ‘Dele’ Onyemaehi as Chairman.
- Hon. Frank Ugboma of Oguta as vice Chairman.
- Hon. Duru Johnson of Ideato South – Member.
- Hon. Emeka Nduka of Ehime Mbano – Member and
- Chigozie Nwaneri of Oru East – Member.
In the meantime: three (3) members in the persons of Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem of Onuimo, Hon. Ekene Nnodumele of Orsu and Rt. Hon. Okey Onyekamma of Mbaitolu were Indefinitely suspended for desecration of the sanctity of the house, acts of forgery, Conducts that are likely to cause instability in the house and grave Unparliamentary Conducts.
Meanwhile, the newly elected speaker while addressing the news people in a press conference lampooned the ousted speaker for what he described as the “Desecration of the sanctity of the house” decrying that the former speaker brought the house into great disrepute with Conducts inimical to the stability of the house.
He promised a positive turnaround in the activities of the house under his watch as they will churn out motions, bills and resolutions which will reflect the aspirations of the Imo people.
He praised the state governor His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma as a seasoned administrator having being been a two term Senator as he is the best to have happened to Imo State in recent times.
