THE impeachment of Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku as Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, at dawn last Monday was reflective of the popular saying that “what goes around comes around”.

BY PETER OKUTU

IT was the same shround of controversy and intrigues that preceeded his emergence that shadowed the exit of Chukwuma Nwazunku as speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.

•Madam Speaker flanked by her men

Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwo, Nwanzunku’s predecessor as speaker was reportedly cooling down in Enugu two years ago when he was removed from office. Just like that, Nwazunku was himself in the embrace of his family when news of his own impeachment reached him in the wee hours of last Monday.

Another similarity in the removal of the two men from the office of Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly was the fact that it was carried out amidst top secrecy.

In the format of a commando operation, 18 out of the 24 members of the House sneaked into the chambers on Monday morning and removed Nwazunku on the grounds of corruption, undemocratic practices, betrayal among other charges.

Frank Onwe had moved the motion for the impeachment and he was seconded by the minority leader, Enyi C. Enyi; thereafter, Eni Uduma Chima representing Afikpo South West moved the motion for election of Rt. Hon. Helen Nwaobasi representing Abakaliki South state constituency as the new Speaker of the State
House of Assembly. The motion was seconded Jerry Obasi.

It was remarkable that the deed was done in the absence of Comrade Chinedu Ogah, the PDP State youth leader who is generally believed to be the power behind the deposed speaker. Ogah was in America when the parliamentarians got the nerve to remove his man.

Following the deed, which was done in secret, the member representing AfikpoSouth West, Eni Uduma Chima issued a statement conveying the development to the populace.  The statement read in part: “The impeachment of the quondam speaker, the reason was expressly stated and includes: Section 104 of the said constitution provides that the House of Assembly of every state must sit for a minimum period of one hundred and eighty-one (181) days in a year. Under the leadership of Mr. Nwazunku Chukwuma, as at today, 21st day of July, 2014 a period of more than half of the year, the house has only sat for seventeen (17) times inclusive of today’s emergency sitting.

”Another reason for the impeachment is the former speaker’s violationof his oath of office. He swore to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and to place the interest of the state above his personal interests. Instead of upholding the oath, the former Speaker demanded that the members of the House whom he perceived as threats should write an undertaking to be faithful and loyal to his leadership.

He claimed that three members of the House were compelled to make the pledge which he said the erstwhile speaker insisted must be deposed at the High Court.

The House immediately set the path for reconciliation with the recall of the three members earlier suspended by the Nwazunku leadership. The trio of Eni Uduma representing Afikpo South West, Blaise Orji, representing Afikpo South East and Frank Onwe were recalled just as the members suspended Ms Mabel Aleke representing Ohaukwu South, Mr. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru representing Izzi West, Chukwuma Nwazuku representing Ebonyi East and Mr. Odefa Obasi Odefa representing Onicha East State Constituency.

As at the time of this report, Governor Martin Elechi was yet to give any comment on the development.
Later on Monday, there was confusion at the Government House when members present at a function almost physically sought to prevent the deposed speaker from meeting with Governor Elechi.

But for the timely intervention of security operatives at the Government House, the scenario would have led to a bloody confrontation as the group in support of the new Speaker was seen chatting solidarity songs as the deposed speaker perched in a corner shielded by the security men.The legitimacy of the new speaker was further confirmed at a press briefing where a member of the House, Enyi C Enyi representing Ezza North West
stated that the new Speaker, Rt. Hon Helen Obasi has the approval of the House members.

Madam Speaker, Vanguard learnt, may also have received support from a strategic quarter within the Government House.

The wife of the governor, Mrs. Josephine Elechi it was learnt has thrown support for her.The deposed speaker is, however, unrelenting as he told newsmen later on Monday that the purported impeachment does not hold water and cannot be accepted. He urged people of the state to remain law abiding as the matter will soon be resolved.