….Don’t cause trouble – Enugu residents

…It is not true- Clerk of the House

…Don’t set Enugu on fire Labour Party warns

By Chinedu Adonu

There is alleged secret plot by the ruling People’s Democratic Party in Enugu state to cause the the Governor of the State, Dr. Peter Mbah to secretly proclaim the House of Assembly with only the  minority PDP members-elect present in order to provide them opportunity to produce the leadership of the House of the 8th House of Assembly.

At the last election, Labour Party won 14 seats while PDP won 10 seats and also produced the Governor. Labour party is however challenging the election in Court.

Sensing that with the higher number of members-elect, that Labour would produce the Speaker and other principal officers of the House, it was learned that Governor Mbah is under pressure from PDP leaders and his strong backers to clandestinely proclaim the 8th House of Assembly in the State and ensure that PDP secures the leadership big the House.

If this happens, it will be against the constitutional  provision of two third of the members of the Assembly, in this case 16 members, being be present at the inauguration..

A dependable source close to Lion Building revealed that the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Dr. Emma Udaya allegedly had a meeting with Governor Peter Mbah which was centered on the said secret inaguration of the 8th House of Assembly with only the minority PDP ten members-elect present.
Our source quoted the governor as inquiring from the Clerk the possibility of inaugurating the House with only the minority PDP members-elect present and conduct their election to appoint their leaders.

The Clerk, it was alleged, assured the Governor that it is possible but no proclamation date has been fixed.

The source allegedly that in preparation for assignment, the Clerk has addressed all the workers of the Assembly to ensure that they report to duty whenever they are invited to do so not minding the time of day.

As part of the plot, the Clerk has allegedly relieved the Sergeant-at- Arms of his duty. The man popularly known as Dangerman was alleged to have been stopped from performing the duty forthwith on a flimsy reason that he is an “old man”.

It is being suspected that House could be convoked on a weekend or at odd hours of the night to clandestinely inaugurate the new Assembly.

Reacting to report, the Clerk of the House, Dr. Emmanuel Udaya denied all the allegations saying: “It is not true. The person who told you that should establish the fact.

“I never met with the governor. The governor never said anything like that. Wherever the information comes from, go and verify from that person and you should be able to produce the person too.

“You are hearing from the horse’s mouth. Governor never said anything like that. I never met him too.

“I don’t know what is wrong with people. They think that every state inaugurated their house of assembly the same day. But they were inaugurated at different dates.

“When you hear that Edo, Ekiti and others have done their own, you don’t know when their own assembly started.

“If Assembly started in July, you cannot inaugurate the house until the expiration of that particular one. Because as it is now, it (the 7th Enugu House of Assembly) is still subsisting. Their tenure is running. It is 365 days”.

When asked when the Enugu State House of Assembly will be inaugurated, the Clerk said, “that is not the question you asked me”.

He also refused to say when the outgoing members of the state assembly would serve out their tenure.

It could be recalled that in 2015, shortly before the end of Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration, some members of the House of Assembly in the state met around 3:30am in the and purportedly impeached Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo and quickly elected Hon. Chinedu Nwamba as the new Speaker of the House of Assembly.

When contacted, the state Chairman of Labour Party, Barr. Casmir Agbo said the party has been hearing about the plot but cautioned the Governor and PDP not to set Enugu on fire with illegality.

Agbo advised Governor Mbah to follow the constitutional laid down procedure for inaugurating the House, saying that even with their majority, Labour Party members are not going to the House to cause trouble but ensure good governance.

“We have been hearing about the plot, we are watching. But I will advise the Governor and the PDP not set Enugu on fire and do the proper thing during the inaguration”, Labour party Chairman cautioned.