Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has offered to mediate in the crisis in the State House of Assembly.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has offered to mediate in the crisis in the State House of Assembly.
According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka, in making the offer, the governor reasoned that with less than one month to the end of his administration and the ushering of a new administration, it makes no sense to engage in any issue that is likely to plunge the State into any form of confusion.
READ ALSO:
BREAKING: Police take over Abia Assembly as lawmakers impeach Speaker, Chinedum Orji
“Governor Ikpeazu’s main preoccupation at the moment is how to pilot the Ship of State peacefully and steadily into the new administration and tie up all administrative matters including the completion of key projects.
“The Governor, therefore, does not have the luxury of time and resources for any crisis at the moment. Above all, the mood in the State makes any such move inexpedient.
“Governor Ikpeazu appeals to the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji and members of that hallowed Assembly to maintain the peace and allow reason and patriotism to guide their actions.
“The Governor will be meeting with the members shortly”, the release stated.
There were reports early on Monday that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chinedum Orji had been by his fellow lawmakers. In his place, Chukwudi Apugo representing Umuahia East state constituency, was elected as the new Speaker.
There were different angles to the impeachment of Orji as well as the reasons for the action. One strand of the story stated that the removal was carried out by 16 members of the Assembly outside the house. The allegation against him was that he and his father, Senator Theodore Orji, former governor of the state, betrayed the PDP in Umuahia during the governorship election. His supporters however alleged that the legislators moved against him because he had not been brining money from the government to them.
Our Reporter gathered that following the Speaker’s removal, security men have sealed off the Assembly complex, leaving legislators to gather in clusters within the premises. Later reports however indicated that Orji remained the Speaker.
Internal crisis in the ruling PDP is blamed for the party losing the governorship to the fledgling Labour Party (LP) in the March 18 governorship election. The impasses also saw the governor losing his senatorial ambition in the February 25 national assembly election.
Chinedum Orji, had earlier lost the National Assembly poll for Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency.
Orji, son of the former Governor Theodore Orji, lost to the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Obi Aguocha.
