Leader of Abia North People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders, Dr Eme Okoro, has warned against any attempt to impeach the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ude Oko Chukwu, on trumped-up and frivolous charges.
The warning comes as a youth organisation, Abia Youths Vanguard, condemned and cautioned against an alleged plot to impeach the Deputy Speaker, calling on the lawmakers to drop any move capable of throwing the state into upheaval.
These warnings are coming on the heels of strong rumours of plots to impeach some Principal Officers of the State House of Assembly including the Speaker, Hon Chinedum Orji.
According to the rumour, the plot is to first remove the Leader of the House and the Deputy Speaker, Hon Ifeanyi Uchendu, before removing the Speaker to pave way for the easy removal of the Deputy Governor.
The ultimate targets of those behind the plot, according to rumour mills, are the Speaker and the Deputy Governor.
According to a source, ‘those behind this move want to clip the wings of the Speaker ahead of the primaries so that they can easily deal with the Deputy Governor.’
Apparently sensing danger, the Speaker reportedly adjourned the House indefinitely last month after an unsuccessful attempt by some members to remove the Leader and Deputy Speaker of the House.
Speaking in Umuahia, Okoro said that Abia North would not accept any attempt to intimidate the Deputy Governor who he said is a son of the area, for committing no crime than declaring interest in the 2023 governorship race.
Okoro, the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said that if there were any reasonable charges of malfeasance against the Deputy Governor, due process of the law has to be followed in investing the charges before taking any action against him.
‘This is democracy. The House cannot impeach him or even the Governor without first evaluating any charges against him. There have to be verifiable offences he is said to have committed. He cannot be frivolously impeached,’ he said.
‘We don’t have a despotic House of Assembly. They cannot just remove him without due process, otherwise, they will be creating unnecessary turmoil in Abia State.
‘They are overheating the polity, and that will result in some kind of fracas that this state does not have the capacity to sustain.
‘Abia North won’t accept any action that does not follow due process to evaluate charges if any against him, thoroughly investigated and proven through the necessary legal pathways.
‘He has the right to run just like other contestants. We cannot begin to impeach them because you don’t like their faces or their name or the zone they come from.’
The former SSG advised members of the House of Assembly to abstain from any act capable of truncating the prevailing peace in the state.
He also urged them to shun any monetary inducement for any hatchet job.
‘They will also be accountable to the people of Abia. Every House member who agrees to get involved in the plot to impeach the Deputy Governor must know that he is also elected.’
Similarly, Abia Youths Vanguard has strongly condemned the alleged plot to impeach the Deputy Speaker and called on the lawmakers to jettison any move capable of throwing the state into upheaval.
Coordinator of the group David Onwuneme said in a statement that Abia Youths would vigorously resist any attempt to promote political rascality in the state.
He said that the rumour had been very rife and getting stronger every day, adding that it will be wrong to victimise the Deputy Governor for showing interest in the 2023 governorship race.
‘The rumour is quite strong and we are getting uncomfortable. A lot of underground work is going on in the House to remove him.
‘This clearly shows that he is being victimised over his opinion on the zoning of governorship to Abia North in 2023. We stand on zoning based on the Charter of Equity. We will strongly resist any move against zoning and any attempt to impeach anybody based on his political opinion.’
Abia Youths Vanguard urged lawmakers to jettison the plot as it will not serve the interest of the state.
The House committee chairman on Information could not be reached, but the member representing Aba South State Constituency, Hon Obinna Ichita (APGA), when contacted, admitted that the House had not been sitting for over one month now.
He denied knowledge of any plot to impeach the Deputy Governor but said he also read about it on social media.
Hon Ichita said although those behind the said plot might not bother to inform him being a member of the opposition party, he vowed to resist any unjust move when the motion would be presented before the House.
‘But once it comes up on the floor of the House we will ask some pointed questions. They know me. Even though I am not from their party and shouldn’t even bother but we will not allow any act of injustice,’ the lawmaker said.
