Barely two
weeks after the impeachment of Adamawa State
Governor Murtala Nyako and the sack notice
given to Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-
Makura a week ago, both of the opposition All
Progressives Congress (APC), their colleague in
Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is being
threatened to be removed by the state
lawmakers.
In Al-Makura’s case, the House of Assembly
has asked the state’s Chief Judge, Justice
Suleiman U. Dikko to raise a seven-member
panel to investigate alleged allegations of
misconduct against him, he did that at the
weekend.
In Imo State also at the weekend, there was
tension as members of the Assembly vowed to
commence impeachment proceedings against
Owelle Okorocha for allegedly withholding their
entitlements since he became governor in 2011.
A competent source told Daily Sun at the
weekend that the state legislators who are
scheduled to return on September 9 are spoiling
for a showdown with Governor Okorocha if he
fails to pay them the arrears of their entitlements
of about N420million, The lawmakers said they
would have no choice, but to commence Okoro­
cha’s impeachment.
According to the source, the lawmakers held
another meeting last Friday where they resolved
to use any legal means including the threat of
impeachment to force Governor Okorocha pay
them.
“At the last meeting of the lawmakers last
Friday, July 25, they resolved that they must use
whatever legal means to collect their entitlements
which Governor Okorocha has refused to pay
them since he assumed office in 2011 in the
name of Rescue Mission. Before this time, the
legislators have made several appeals to the
governor through the leadership of the House
that lawmakers have to be paid their allowances
and the alleged slashing of their salaries by the
governor to fund his free education programme
since 2011”.
Although, the Speaker, Hon. Benjamin
Uwajimogu and his deputy, Donatus Ozoemena,
were said not to be part of the alleged plan by
the 24 out of the 26 lawmakers excluding Oguta
constituency where election matter is still
pending in court, the lawmakers were united in
their resolve to impeach Okorocha.
They have also vowed not to accept any
payment which is not cash and they are also
determined to equally impeach the Speaker
should he stand on their path.
“If the Speaker stands in the way, he is going to
be bulldozed along with the governor, anything
short of cash will not be acceptable” the source
said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House
Committee on Information, Hon. Acho Ihim,
has dismissed the alleged impeachment plot,
describing it as baseless and malicious.
He, however, confirmed the disparity in the
salary of the current lawmakers and their
predecessors.
He said, “during the administration of Chief
Ikedi Ohakim, the House took a loan and it was
deducted monthly from the salaries of lawmak­
ers, so when we came in, the Clerk of the House
was changed and a new one who was not
properly briefed about the loan repayment,
started paying with the records he met on
ground.
According to him, when it was discovered, we
quickly wrote the governor, who promised to
intervene and he has done that. For instance, we
were paid normal salary in June. The governor
is ready to pay, all he is asking for is a little time
because the money is much. It is about N18
million per lawmaker. It is true that there could
be agitation, but it has not amounted to
impeaching anybody”.
Similarly, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, Senior
Special Assistant (Media) to Okorocha,
dismissed the allegation, saying the governor
has a cordial relationship with members of the
Assembly.
“How can it be true, there is no such thing, you
can verify from the Assembly members, the
state government has a good working
relationship with them and I don’t think
anybody is plotting any impeachment, for what,
on a governor who is performing, it is not true
my brother,” Onwuemeodo said.
SunNewsOnline

The lawmakers are taking this decision not even for the interest of the people but for their pockets .

observing

I commend and condemn this in strongest terms!

For self interest

Alhaji Rochas Okorocha is gOod as gone,ibo don't play with money.