Speculations are rife that the Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere may finally get the boots following yesterday’s surprise and shocking removal of the relatively new majority leader of Imo House of Assembly. Hon Uche Oguwike who represents Ikeduru state constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
HON. Oguwike believed to be a staunch loyalist of the deputy governor, took over the office of majority leader few months ago from Hon Lugard Osuji after the Owerri Municipal lawmaker was removed last year December following his alleged role in the reported disagreement between some lawmakers of the Assembly and the leadership of the House.
However, barely five months in office as majority leader, Hon. Oguwike was during Thursday plenary, replaced with Hon Lugard Osuji who held the same office before last December.
Announcing Oguwike’s removal shortly before adjourning the House yesterday, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim thanked the Ikeduru lawmaker for his doggedness and wished him well in his political career.
Meanwhile the announcement of the unexpected removal of Hon Oguwike on the floor of the House by Speaker Ihim immediately sparked off verbal exchanges especially, on the part of some lawmakers believed to be pro-Madumere who possibly saw the action as a kind of ‘coup’ since from their reactions, the matter never came up or mutted even at an executive session. What could be described as a rowdy end of the session ensured with some aggrieved members of the House complaining in high voices.
Imolites who reacted to the development opined that it could possibly be a preamble to final onslaught on the embattled deputy governor, Prince Madumere whom the governor has accused of joining forces with his APC rivals ahead of the 2019 general elections.
This comes on the heels of recent removal of Dr. Martin Ohiri as Sports and Youth Commissioner. Ohiri comes from Mbaitoli and is believed to be in deputy governor lineup.
Nigeria Newspoint also gathered that the alleged moves to Impeach Prince Madumere have been on since the deputy governor’s face-off with the Governor Okorocha reached crescendo a couple of months ago. One of the alleged clandestine meetings towards actualizing the deputy governor’s sack was believed to have been held in the country home of an APC stalwart in Ikeduru, where 18 members were allegedly in attendance and purportedly promised over N1 billion if they deliver on the alleged plot.
Another follow-up meeting was alleged to have been held at a hotel in New Owerri, Imo state. Other meetings are believed to have allegedly been held for that purpose.
Meanwhile there are hints that the fate that befell Hon. Oguwike is not unconnected with his stance against the plot to boot out Madumere.
A lawmaker who preferred anonymity confided in this newspaper that Hon. Oguwike’s removal allegedly smacks of illegality aimed at getting at Prince Madumere and easing him out of office.
