ABIA, Nigeria – In a sudden upheaval that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Nigeria’s Abia State, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Ifeanyi Uchendu, and eight other members were suspended on Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
The move comes amid a swirl of controversy over the impeachment of the Speaker, Chinedum Orji.
The House, which convened under the leadership of Orji — an embattled figure grappling with accusations of his impeachment — announced the suspensions during the Tuesday plenary session.
Earlier in the day, media outlets, reported that 18 out of the 24 members of the House had supposedly impeached Orji. This development led to the premises of the Assembly being briefly taken over by police.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Orji re-emerged a few hours later to preside over the House’s plenary session, attended by nine members.
An anonymous source close to Orji provided some insight into the unfolding saga, stating that “Orji remains the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly. Eleven members are with him. As you can see, nine of them attended the sitting, while two, who are currently out of the country, took permission.”
The assembly members who joined Uchendu in suspension include Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Hon Chukwudi Apugo, Hon Aaron Uzodike, Hon Chukwu Chijioke, Hon Thomas Nkoro, Hon Mike Ukoha, Obinna Ichita, and Hon Okey Igwe.
In a statement that underscored the severity of the actions taken, the House announced that the suspensions would take immediate effect and would be without pay.
The precise reasons for the suspensions remain unclear, and the tumultuous events of the day are likely to spark further investigation and debate. As the political battle lines in the Abia State House of Assembly become increasingly entrenched, the repercussions for the state’s governance could be far-reaching.
