Indications are rife that a plot by lawmakers to impeach the Speaker of the Imo House of Assembly, Hon Chike Olemgbe for alleged incompetence and reducing the Assembly to the status of mere ‘chorus singers’, may be thickening.
A source hinted Nigeria Newspoint that the impeachment may not be unconnected to what seems to be a feeling on the part of most of the lawmakers that they may have been reduced to the level where they are now seen as ‘Rubber Stamp’ for the Executive which they are constitutionally supposed to keep in check.
A lawmaker who craved anonymity hinted that, “if urgent steps are not taken to impeach the Speaker, they would spend their entire tenure chasing shadow without anything tangible to show for the mandate of the people they hold in trust for four years”
He also hinted that the recent outing to mark the 10th Assembly’s one year in office exposed current Speaker OLemgbe ‘s alleged docility, ineptitude and subservience to the Executive at the expense of the collective interest of Imo people.
“Prior to the emergence of the 10th Imo House of Assembly, there was a culture of inviting all former members to join in celebrating the first anniversary that usually had well articulated programme of events that gave it the befitting colour and clout it deserved.
“But this time around all these were not done, hence we are wondering if the event is actually worth the amount claimed to have been spent in organizing it.
“The speaker has made the House an inactive appendage of the Executive to the extent that the members can no longer question any Executive bill that is brought before it. With what is presently happening, if the speaker remains in office, most of us will certainly become poorer than we were before we were elected.
“Most of us are wondering why the Governor prefers Hon Chike Olemgbe who is a first timer, despite the fact that his academic qualifications are allegedly subject of scrutiny.
“Though he has severally claimed to be a graduate of Abia State University (ABSU), there are allegations that he is not yet a graduate,” he posited.
