REVEALED: How IMO spokesperson unilaterally suspended four MPs over newspaper publication

There is a lot of talk and eyebrows being raised over the outrageous action of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Imo State, Chike Olemgbe, who unilaterally suspended four of his colleagues without following due process and based on a newspaper publication.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Samelson Iwuoha, the Speaker said the four MPs were suspended for insubordination and conduct unbecoming honourable MPs. He was referring to events at a training session the MPs attended at the Institute of Advance Legal Studies in Abuja, where some of them reportedly ganged up on the Speaker and hurled abuse at him for no valid reason other than to stir up dust and create tension that would ultimately lead to his impeachment.

According to him, the reprehensible conduct and attitude of the lawmakers in Abuja, which suggested an ominous conspiracy, was given credibility by publications in two leading Imo newspapers, which reported a plot to remove the Speaker of Parliament from office because of his subservience to the executive, whose whims and fancies he unquestionably supported.

The statement dated July 2, 2024, reads, in part: “The Speaker of the House of Representatives of Imo State, Honourable Chike Olemgbe, has moved against some lawmakers who are plotting impeachment.

To this end, four MPs identified as masterminds of the plot were suspended with immediate effect.

They are: Honourable Samuel Chidiebere Ogbunikpa, representing Okigwe State Constituency, Honourable Dominic Ezerioha, representing Oru-West State Constituency, Honourable Samuel Nkem Otuibe, representing Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency and Honourable Henry Agabasonu, representing Ezinihitte Mbaise State Constituency.

There has been unrest in the House of Representatives for some time now and the atmosphere is somewhat tense as some members sow discord in order to achieve their own purely selfish goals.

This has increased tensions and threatened to disrupt the smooth relationship between the legislative and executive branches, thereby destabilising peace in the state – a situation for which the state is currently unprepared.

The situation came to a head last week at a training workshop in Abuja, the Capital Territory, attended by all members.

On the very first day of the course, the Institute of Advanced Legal and Democratic Studies, where the workshop was held, turned into a battlefield as the MPs opposed to the Speaker and the leadership of the House of Representatives could no longer contain themselves. They left the course they were attending and started openly slandering the Speaker.

It was alleged that this was a discreet plan on their part to openly discredit the Speaker in order to facilitate his planned impeachment.

Tempers and voices flared when MPs supporting the Speaker could not stand it any longer and decided to challenge those insulting the Speaker. A loud exchange of blows ensued. The commotion caused great unrest in the Institute and brought senior officials of the Institute to the scene, who rushed to mediate and calm the quarreling MPs.

The staff disclosed that they have over the years conducted several such courses for parliamentarians from different parts of the country but have never witnessed a drama of this kind where MPs have publicly denigrated their Speaker and the leadership of the House of Representatives and were therefore shocked by the actions of the Imo House MPs.

Indeed, it was a disgrace. Clearly, the fight that the impeachment conspirators had instigated in Abuja was part of a larger conspiracy and did not just happen. There were secret plans to create chaos in the House of Representatives.

of Democratic Governance noted: “Although the Speaker is a novice who does not understand the ins and outs of legislative work, I suspect that the Honourable Kennedy Ibeh, who during his tenure as Speaker declared the seat of his colleague Obinna Okwara from Nkwerre State Constituency vacant, is very close to the current Speaker, who is obviously accountable to him. I am convinced that Kennedy Ibeh and the Secretary to the House, Barr Chinelo…, if they are not careful, will tempt Olemgbe to commit even more serious errors that will put the entire House in a bad light.”

“Where in the world has this ever happened? How can a Speaker of the House wake up and suspend four of his colleagues who were elected on the same day and in the same manner as him?”

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