There was political tension in Imo State, late Thursday, when men of the Nigeria Army, Police, Department of State Security Services, DSS, and Civil Defence Corps, took over the Complex of the State House of Assembly, located at New Owerri.

 

 

The move was sequel to speculations that some State Lawmakers, numbering about 19, had perfected plans to impeach the Speaker, Acho Ihim, and his Deputy, Ugonna Ozurigbo, during plenary.

 

 

While the Security Agents barricaded all entrances leading in and out of the Complex, only the Lawmakers, Media men, and Assembly workers, were allowed entry into the Complex. It was gathered that the plot to impeach the Speaker and his Deputy, was being hatched by some members, who want to get at the two Principal Officers, in order to have their way in determining who emerges as the next Speaker of the 9th House of Assembly in the State.

 

 

However, during the plenary, the Speaker directed that five suspended Lawmakers be invited to interface with other Lawmakers, on April 16, during the Executive Session.

 

 

He issued the invitation after Chika Madumere had moved a motion for the recall of the five suspended Lawmakers. Ihim said that his action was to ensure that the suspended Lawmakers were recalled.

 

A High Court in the State had on November 5, 2018, quashed the suspension of four out of the five suspended Lawmakers.

 

 

 

 

The court, which described the suspension as illegal, jointly awarded the applicants, Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru APC); Chiji Collins (Isiala Mbano APC); Israel Nnataraonye (Mbaitoli); and Nkenna Nzeruo (Oru East APC), the sum of N8 million in damages, and N100,000 in legal fees.

 

 

The court directed the Leadership of the House to pay the applicants their salaries, allowances and emoluments, for the period they were unlawfully suspended.

 

It was learnt that five months after the judgment, the court order has not been obeyed.

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