The Speaker of the House of Assembly in Enugu State, Honorable Eugene Odoh, has described his impeachment by eight members of the House, as a ‘shame to democracy’.
Eight lawmakers loyal to the State Governor, Sullivan Chime, sat on Monday, impeached the Speaker and shot down the Assembly indefinitely.
Their decision came after 18 out of 24 members of the House had commenced a process to impeach the State Governor, putting forward allegations of forgery, inflation of funds for state project execution and unlawful acquisition of public landed property.
The factional ‘new Speaker’, Honourable Chinedu Nwamba, said the activities of the other faction was null and void, “as the Speaker, Eugene Odoh, had been removed, with himself emerging the new speaker”.
Impunity In The Face Of Democracy
Despite the impeachment by the few members of the House, the ‘impeached Speaker’, Honorable Odoh, said the lawmakers would continue with the impeachment process on Tuesday, insisting that the Governor had been duly served.
Mr Odoh, however, said the ‘purported impeachment’ was impunity in the face of democracy which had diminished the Enugu State House of Assembly as well as the Executive arm of government.
“I am really shocked that the Governor, who is a lawyer, could champion eight people seating down to remove a Speaker when he knows that it requires two-third. It is a shame to democracy and I am equally ashamed, as I am speaking this.
“There is nothing like removal of the Speaker. It is mere exercise in futility and they have showed the world the kind of impunity going on in Enugu State,” he said.
Mr Oboh had told Channels Television that trouble started after the House refused to approve the 11 billion Naira loan which the governor forwarded to the House on grounds that it was not morally wise and would be a burden on the incoming government, as the loan would be paid under Irrevocable Standing Payment order within three years.
Contrary to Mr Oboh’s statement, one of the eight lawmakers said that removing a principal officer in the House required simple majority.
