Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
Abia State House of Assembly has dismissed the purported impeachment of her speaker Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, by some members of the house led by it former Deputy Speaker Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu.
This made public during a plenary session of the House presided by Orji, on Tuesday.
A video which has now gone viral on the social media emerged on Tuesday morning where some members of the House sat in an undisclosed location, reportedly impeached the speaker and elected Hon Chukwudi Apougo as the new speakers.
But a member of the House Hon Jerry Uzosike, during the plenary, described the move as unconstitutional, disgraceful and against the rules of House.
He moved a motion that all the members involved in the alleged impeachment move should be suspended with immediate effect and new deputy speaker elected.
The motion was seconded by the member representing Isialangwa North state constituency Hon Giger Onwusibe.
The speaker in reaction put the motion to votes and all the nine members present voted in favour of the motion.
Orji, subsequently announced the suspension of the nine members involved in the purported impeachment move for one month without benefits.
He said, I have been a humble speaker irrespective of my background. That I’m quite does not mean that I don’t know what to say or that I can’t talk.
“I have trolected a lot of insults and humiliation not from the governor of the state, but from those who think that they are assistant governors, but I have been quite because my family member had been a governor and I respect the office of the governor”.
The speaker also set up a committee to investigate the member involved in purported impeachment move.
The House members also elected the members representing Ohafia North state constituency Hon Egwuonwu Obasi as her new deputy Speaker.