contradictory moves by the two factions, the police in Enugu immediately moved in to seal the parliament building. The events in Enugu commenced as early as 5.00 a.m. yesterday, when Speaker Odo led 16 members to the House complex not far from the Government House for an early morning session. At the end of their deliberation, the House directed the Clerk of the House to serve the impeachment notice on Governor Chime on the allegation of constitutional infractions including inflation of the contract for the state secretariat and the forgery of the N12 billion 2012 Supplementary budget among other offences. After the sitting, Odo and his group took their exit and also went away with the mace of the House. Election of new speaker However, not long after, nine members of the House strongly believed to be sympathetic to Chime, otherwise known as G9, stormed the Assembly complex in the company of the state deputy governor-elect, Cecilia Ezeilo, with another mace. As they commenced proceedings, the faction elected the member representing Nsukka-East constituency, Mr. Chinedu Nwamba as the new Speaker of the House. The faction sympathetic to Chime and led by the deputy speaker, Chime Orji, suspended Odo with other principal officers and adjourned sitting sine die. Before the G9 group commenced the business of the day, the faction which was originally eight, formally recalled Johnbull Nwagu who had earlier been suspended by the House for allegedly conniving with the executive to deny the members of their allowances. Chief Press Secretary to Speaker Odo, Mr. Lawrence Agbo, had penultimate Sunday listed the burning issues taken by the House in recent past, which did not go down well with the executive to include the suspension of the Water Concession Plan for 25 years; stoppage of land allocation at International Conference Centre; construction of park and shop mall adjacent the House of Assembly complex as well as land allocation at old Eastern Nigeria Industrial Centre at Zik, Avenue, Enugu. Others include probe of alleged fictitious award of contracts by Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, ENSUBEB, and request for cancellation of land allocation to individuals around the 3-Arms Zone of the state. Vanguard also gathered that the allowances and entitlements of the members have not been paid since February. Sealing of Assembly complex: We were doing our job —PPRO State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, however told Vanguard that the action of the police was not unlawful because, according to him, “police presence is to prevent further breakdown of law and order, in line with our constitutional mandate.'' It was being speculated that Chime ordered the sealing of the complex in order to prevent the impeachment proceedings against him. Human rights group kicks Executive Director of Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, Centrep, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, in a statement yesterday, said: “The act of Governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, ordering the police to seal Enugu State House of Assembly over an impeachment process by 15 of the 24 House members is to say the least a reckless abuse of executive power by a sitting governor. “We urge the police not to be used as a tool of oppression by the governor in the above saga. The police must respect the rule of law and the constitution. “Having said that, I make bold to say that the mere sealing of the House by the police on the orders of the governor is only a temporary relief for the embattled governor as members of the House who are bent on impeaching him can constitutionally continue their impeachment proceedings in any public building within the state capital.”
source:Vanguard
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