By Innocent Onyeukwu.
An Owerri High Court presided over by Hon Justice Ngozi Opara yesterday restrained the Imo State House of Assembly from swearing in the elected House of Assembly candidate from Oguta state constituency.
In the suit brought before the court by APGA had prayed the court to stop the planned swearing in of Hon Dibiagwu as the member representing Oguta in the state legislature.
Before ruling on the motion, Hon Justice Ngozi Opara had expressed shock and disappointment over a purported radio press release by PDP which points to the fact that he has been compromised by APGA people ahead of his ruling on the matter.
The ruling which elucidated mixed reaction from youths supposedly from Oguta could be noticed within and around the court premises as some of the louver glasses of the court were destroyed.
The Imo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria PDP had raised alarm over the continued delay to swear in Hon Eugene Dibiagwu who emerged winner of the last Saturday House of Assembly re – run election in Oguta state constituency.
The PDP, yesterday in a release signed by Blyden Amajirionwu, state publicity secretary of the party, accused the speaker of the Imo House of Assembly of deliberately denying Dibiagwu of being sworn in as the duly elected representative of Oguta state constituency.
The PDP alleged that Dibiagwu had completed the process of being sworn – in after receiving his certificate of return from INEC and was due to be sworn – by the speaker last Tuesday until a sudden adjournment by the House.
Reacting to these allegations, the SA (media) to the speaker, Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha, said it is untrue that Dibiagwu was deliberately denied being sworn – in by the speaker.
Hear Iwuoha “The PDP’S allegations are baseless and untrue. They like to blow hot when there is no reason to do so”.
He confirmed that the duly elected representative of Oguta state constituency visited the House of complex, but before he returned to complete the formal swearing – in process, the House had adjourned to Tuesday, 22nd August, 2012.
“The House had adjourned before he came to the Assembly complex a second time. There is no problem anywhere. The PDP is unnecessarily raising false alarm” Samuelson stated.
In reaction to a question if Dibiagwu had concluded the formal process that will warrant his swearing in, the speaker’s Aide on media, referred our reporter to the clerk of the House.
