The Deputy Speaker, Mr. Ifeanyi Uchendu, and eight other members were suspended by the Abia House of Assembly on Tuesday (2 May 2023) due to the alleged impeachment of the Speaker, Mr. Chinedum Orji.
Orji, who presided over the plenary meeting, made the announcement that the parliamentarians would be immediately suspended for one month without pay.
Kennedy Njoku (Osisioma North), Chukwudi Apugo (Umuahia East), and Aaron Uzodike (Aba North) were three further members that were suspended.
Thomas Nkoro (Obingwa West), Okey Igwe (Umunneochi), Chikwendu Kalu (Isiala Ngwa South), Obinna Ichitta (Aba South), and Chijioke Chukwu (Minority Leader – Bende North) were the remaining representatives.
As reported by NAN, that some members of the House had by 9 am on Tuesday (2 May 2023), purportedly suspended the speaker for “his insensitivity to the welfare of members and other sundry activities”.
Also according to NAN report, 16 of the 24-member house had allegedly signed for the speaker’s impeachment that took place at a guest house in Umuahia metropolis.
Kennedy Njoku, the previous speaker, had made the motion to remove the speaker, and Chijioke Chukwu had seconded it.
The suspended deputy speaker served as the meeting’s moderator.
In a now-famous video, the members voice-voted overwhelmingly in favor of the speaker’s impeachment due to the numerous accusations made against him.
Apugo has been chosen as the new speaker as well.
However, hours after the alleged impeachment, Orji called an urgent plenary meeting at the assembly building, where nine members, including himself, decided to suspend the other nine.
Jerry Uzosike (Umuahia South) made the motion to suspend them, and Solomon Apulonu (Majority Leader – Obingwa East) seconded it.
Members who participated in the purported impeachment were suspended.
In the interim, those whose signatures were purportedly acquired were declared innocent.
Mandela Obasi was then sworn in as the new deputy speaker after the house replaced the suspended deputy speaker with him.
The Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Services were also informed by Orji that only authorized individuals would be permitted entry into the sacred chamber.
After that, the house established an ad hoc committee to look into the alleged wrongdoing of the suspended members and provide a report within a week.
After the plenary session, Orji spoke to the media and admitted that he had endured a number of humiliations.
He said: “They should give the evidence of my financial recklessness.
“They want me to always be at loggerheads with the Governor of the state and I told them that I don’t need to always do that over their own welfare.
“If I decided that I’m no more interested in doing that fight, that it should be a collective effort, I don’t think I’m wrong in doing that.”
