Paul Emeziem, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly has announced the removal of Amarachi Iwuanyanwu as the Deputy Speaker of the House.
The speaker made the announcement following the presentation of a resolution signed by 18 members of the house calling for his removal.
The resolution was presented by the lawmaker representing Orlu State Constituency, Ekene Nnodumele.
No reason was given by the speaker for the deputy speaker’s removal but the house also recalled the six members of the house who were suspended on July 8 for alleged unparliamentary conduct.
The recalled lawmakers include Mr Dominic Ezerioha (APC Oru West), Uche Ogbuagu(APC Ikeduru), Philip Ejiogu (PDP Owerri North), Anyadike Nwosu (PDP Ezinihitte), Kennedy Ibeh (APC Obowo) and Michael Njoku (APC Ihitte Uboma).
The house made the decision following deliberations on the report of the ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the allegations at the committee of the whole house.
Addressing the house, the speaker commended the members who deemed it necessary to bring back the suspended lawmakers.
Emeziem also commended the suspended lawmakers for remaining law-abiding throughout the period of their suspension.
He urged them to remember that the house remains an institution of authority that will remain for generations to come and urged them to respect and honour it.
He further commended Governor Hope Uzodinma for being helpful in achieving the “desired reconciliation.”
The speaker prayed the house to operate in love, unity and understanding to avoid a repeat of the incident.
Meanwhile, Emeziem has described as mischievous, malicious and baseless the reports that the removal of Iwuanyanwu as the Deputy Speaker of the House was financially induced.
The Speaker said the report that he induced the members with N10 million Naira to facilitate Iwuanyanwus’ removal was not only laughable, misleading but childish.
The Speaker, in a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Collins Osuji, stated that he was bound by the law to approve the demand as contained in the resolution.
He maintained that the reports were handiwork of his enemies and a calculated attempt to malign his personality and that of the other House members.
The Imo Chief Lawmaker who enjoined the people to disregard the report, reiterated his commitment to effective service delivery, as well as his loyalty and support for the State governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma and his government in the State.
The release reads, “The attention of the office of the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem has been drawn to the fictitious, malicious and baseless reports trending on some sections of the social media regarding the removal of the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.
“The Speaker, as the chief servant of the House, as required by ethics and law guiding the state Assembly, only made the pronouncement after acknowledging that the resolution received endorsement of the far majority of the House members.”
“But against the ‘factuality’ of what transpired, the mischief makers, sponsored by known elements, have taken to social media platforms to ditch out lies aimed at maligning the personality and integrity of the Speaker and the other members of the House.”
“Also, that the Speaker and the members were bought over by some known politicians in the state to carry out the decision and by extension destabilize the state government led by His Excellency, Dist. Sen. Hope Uzodinma was nowhere near the truth and should totally be disregarded.
“We, therefore, want to use this medium to appeal to the Imolites and the general public to treat the trending misleading and lies-infested reports with levity as they can only come from a power drunk or drowning person or persons.”
