Explosive reactions have visited the pronouncement by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe declaring the Seat for Nkwerre State Constituency vacant, thus calling on INEC to conduct a By-Election.
This ugly incident took Place yesterday, 7th April, 2022 during the plenary. Information had it that the newly sworn-in member, representing Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Hon. Blyden Amajirionwu moved a motion, citing Section 109(g) of 1999 Constitution as amended and called for declaration of the Seat for the member representing Nkwerre State Constituency, Hon. Obinna Okwara vacant on the basis that Hon. Obinna Okwara has defected to another Political Party.
The motion which was seconded by member representing Isiala-Mbano LGA, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins was put to vote before hitting the gavel by the Speaker has attracted condemnation from Imolites and beyond.
On the Streets of Imo State, the people wondered the kind of Parliamentarians that constitute this 9th Assembly under the Leadership of Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibe, member representing Obowo State Constituency.
According to unfavourable reactions, Imolites described the pronouncement as one of the unpopular decisions made by this 9th House, stating that it has appeared that the House has totally lost its flavours and fundamental principles which should be for the interest of the masses but have ended up using it as a means for self political vendetta.
They wondered how Hon. Ibe who won on the platform of Action Alliance AA but later decamped to PDP and finally settled with APC will turn around to preside over an action on defection by his colleagues.
According to Mr Michael Ihegboro, a chieftain of Action Alliance,AA from Ihitte Uboma LGA, informed that Hon. Ibe won his seat on the platform of his Party with the help and influence of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu but decamped to APC and when Hon. Emeka Ihedioha of PDP held sway as Governor of Imo State. Hon.Ibe decamped to PDP. When Sen.Hope Uzodinma came on board as incumbent , he still shamelessly decamped and went back to APC, making it four political moves within three political parties between 2019 till date. This is ridiculous of him and laughable indeed.
Continuing,Ihegboro wondered whether conscience and shame do not exist in human beings anymore, noting that Hon. Ibe should bury his face in shame because he has shown that the leadership of IMHA has no integrity or shame and this is bad to the Government of Imo State in general.
In a similar development, another political sound mind, Hon. Lewechi Amadi from Aboh Mbaise LGA frowned at the development, noting that law makers should not be law breakers because such will continue to spell doom to Country’s growing democracy. He wondered why law makers will not take time to understand the process of law making and as well arrogate themselves the role of being the law instead of interpreters allowing the arm of the Government saddled with such responsibility which is the Judiciary to carry out tits duty. The law says the party that sponsored the candidate’s election and not the party that inherited a state of victory. APC is not the party that sponsored the election, he added .
Nkwerre LGA constituents have massively called on the leadership of IMHA to stop abusing their fundamental Rights as one of the 27 LGAs that made up the State by continued implanting of confusion , thus technically keeping them away from being part of the Legislative arm of the Government of Imo State which they are entitled to .
They advised the Leadership of the House to rescind the decision because to them, it is a clear demonstration that Nkwerre LGA is hated with passion and wondered why such emotional oppression.
This is because Hon Obinna is on suspension in what is seen as politically motivated reason. It is on record that he was suspended alongside two other members of the House for attending the burial of the mother of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, a clear case of political vendetta.
While on suspension, during Plenary on 6th April, 2022, his seat was declared vacant on the rumours of defection when his letter or any letter sent in person or by proxy is yet to be read on the floor of the House because defection of a member is considered official once the defection letter is read on the floor of the house but no such thing has happened. Hon. Obinna was never given the opportunity to accept or deny the rumour before the action.
Even in the event of decamping officially, it’s the Court of law that has such right to make such pronouncement based on defection by interpretation of section 109(g).
It is worthy to state that the Deputy Speaker, Amara Iwuanyanwu was elected on the platform of APGA and he later defected to APC. He is still on his seat representing the people of Nwangele LGA. His seat has not been declared vacant.
Also Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, the seconder of the said motion was elected on the platform of APGA. He defected to APC, to PDP and back to APC. He is representing Isiala-Mbano LGA, the same lawmaker that pushed down table of Kola nuts in anger when he was told point blank by one of his constituents about his abysmal performance. Yet his Seat is not declared vacant.
Ihegboro asked to know why the selective action against the people of Nkwerre LGA because this is not against Hon. Obinna Okwara. It’s a deep insult on the entire people of Nkwerre LGA. Does it mean that the constitution is for Only Nkwerre LGA and not for others in the same event? he queried.
