Crisis Deepens In Abia Assembly As Factional Speaker Suspends Chinedum Orji, 6 Others

There was drama on Wednesday in Umuahia, Abia State capital as two factions of the House sat at two different locations, taking the leadership crisis rocking the State House of Assembly into a different dimension.

ABN TV learned that some members of the State Assembly sat at an undisclosed location and purportedly impeached the speaker, Chief Chinedum Orji on Tuesday.

The group led by the Deputy Speaker, Chief Ifeanyi Uchendu, also elected the member representing Umuahia East State Constituency, Chief Chukwudi Apugo, as a new Speaker.

Orji in a swift response, convened a plenary session of the House at the Assembly complex and suspended nine members of the House who were seen in a viral video of the purported session where he was reportedly impeached.

The nine; Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu, Hon. Kennedy Njoku, Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Hon. Chukwudi Apugo, Hon. Aron Uzodike, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, Hon. A.C. Thomas Nkoro, Hon. Okey Igwe and Hon. Obinna Ichita.

The Deputy Speaker, Uchendu was also impeached and replaced with the member representing Ohafia North State Constituency Chief Egwuonwu Obasi.

Orji had called on the security agencies guiding the Assembly complex to deny the suspended members access to the facility.

But the faction of the House led by
Apugo held another plenary on Wednesday, where it purportedly suspended Orji and majority leader Hon. Solomon Akpulonu.

The faction also suspended Hon. Paul Taribo (Ukwa East), Hon. Mandela Obasi (Ohafia North), Hon. Ginger Onwusibe (Isiala Ngwa North), Hon. Abraham Oba (Aba Central) Hon. Emeka Okoroafor (Isiukwuato) and Hon. Jerry Uzosike.

Apugo alleged that it was illegal for the former Speaker to preside over the House of Assembly plenary having been removed from the office earlier on Tuesday.

He said Orji’s tenure as the Speaker of the House ended following his earlier impeachment by the majority of the House on account of gross misconduct and abuse of office in the early hours of Tuesday.

Apugo further explained that the reported suspension and replacement of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Uchendu as the Deputy Speaker and the purported suspension of some members of the House is glaringly illegal, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

The faction in its plenary, elected Hon. Aaron Uzodike, a member representing Aba North State Constituency as the new Majority Leader.

Apugo reaffirmed the dissolution of all House standing Committees. He however reconstituted the following Committees, namely:Appropriation, Public Accounts Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and 4 Adhoc Committees on the review of the activities of the House.

The Appropriation and Public Account committees are to be chaired by Rt. Hon. Kennedy Njoku and Hon. Obinna Ichita respectively. While Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Adhoc Committee on review on House activities are to be chaired by Hon. Chijioke Chukwu and Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu respectively.

He also warned that the House would take legal action against the suspended members if they go on to hold illegal plenaries.

Alugo also advised Security Agencies in the State to stand firm in their defense of the Nigerian Constitution and not to patronize those violating the law.

Meanwhile Orji, also presided over a plenary session of the House with members loyal to him at the Assembly complex today.