As the crisis in the Abia State House of Assembly rages on, factional members in the House have continued to trade blames over the controversial impeachment of the Speaker.
On Tuesday, some members of the House voted to impeach the Speaker, Chinedum Orji over what they termed gross misconduct and highhandedness.
A member of the House, Jerry Uzosike, representing Umuahia South State Constituency on Wednesday dismissed the impeachment, saying it is unconstitutional and did not follow required procedures.
He spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
READ ALSO: 18 Abia Lawmakers Impeach Speaker Orji
Uzosike also said the Deputy Speaker, Ifeanyi Uchendu was replaced with Hon. Mandela Obasi for the former’s role in the controversial suspension of the Speaker.
“The Speaker was not even impeached ab initio, the issue of purported impeachment was a show of shame of people who out to know the position of the law but they chose to do it differently. For me, there are procedures of impeaching a speaker or deputy speaker of a house of assembly. It is clear in the constitution and in our rule book.
“Nothing like removal of the Speaker but the former Deputy Speaker was removed for the act of gross misconduct and the shame he brought to the seventh assembly. So I stand with the law, the Speaker was not impeached but the former Deputy Speaker was impeached and replaced Right Honourable Mandela Obasi,” Uzosike said.
He said that it is surprising that seven members went to a private house to impeach the Speaker, alleging that they forged signatures of members that were not present.
Responding to Uzosike’s claims, the Deputy Speaker, Uchendu accused him of telling lies, saying that 16 members impeached the Speaker and that the impeachment stands. He also accused the Speaker of pocketing members of the House for years.
“So far as I am concerned, 16 members sent their consent to impeach the Speaker over misconduct and abuse of office. This man has pocketed us for years now and the members came together and said we don’t want this man again…The day we impeached him we were 12 in number and we impeached him, he is no longer the Speaker,” Uchendu said.
