Pandamonium, tension and chaos ruled the premises of Imo House of Assembly located at new Owerri yesterday as the inauguration of the member representingOgutaStateconstituency, Hon Eugene Dibiagwu could not take place again for the second time.
Crowd of supporters mainly PDP supporters, friends and well wishers who trooped to the Assembly premises for the occasion were shocked to see stern looking security operatives, made up of soldiers, police and Civil Defense take over the complex.
The gate of the Assembly complex was under lock and key as no one was allowed access into the premises.
The Speaker of Imo House of Assembly Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu who ought to have carried out the inauguration ceremony with the clerk of the House Barrister Chris Duru was no where to be found, so also members of the Assembly, except few of them who showed up, but had to disappear, after witnessing the charged atmosphere.
Earlier in a Radio announcement, Hon Dibiagwu through Chief Gideon Nweze, had invited the public to come and witness his inauguration as the member representing Oguta LGA at the Imo House of Assembly. This followed an aborted attempt to swear him in earlier, which was truncated through an injunction by an Owerri High Court.
After the invitation on Radio by Dibiagwu for his inauguration, a counter announcement came from the Imo House of Assembly Chairman on Information Committee, Hon Acho Ihim, informing of the postponing of Assembly plenary to Wednesday next week.
Despite the confusion caused by the announcements, the people of Oguta in their numbers stormed the Assembly with different types of masquerades displays, as early as 8am, to witness the elusive ceremony.
However, they were disappointed to be confronted by a team of stern looking security personnel, who barricaded the Assembly complex prompting Oguta people to head to the Government House, to register their complaints to the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Speaking to Imo Trumpeta, Hon Dibiagwu expressed shock and disappointment that his inauguration, which ought to have been a simple matter is causing a lot of tension in the state.
Dibiagwu said that it was unfortunate that all his friends, including those who arrived from outsideNigeriawould go home disappointed the second time on the same issue.
He said he has incurred a lot of losses over his inauguration, after wining the bye- election of August 11, which took place in 4 wards.
Why the Speaker of Imo House of Assembly has refused to swear – in his newest colleague has remained a shock to many.
However, deciphering Acho Ihim’s announcement, the Assembly is saying it does not want to go against a court order, which ordered against Dibiagwu’s inauguration.
But other school of thought is saying that it is nothing but a political game to stop the PDP legislators in the House from increasing in number, after the carpet – crossing of Hon Uwajumogu, Acho Ihim, Hon Mrs Ihuoma and Hon Ozuruigbo to APGA, leaving the supposedly majority PDP to be the minority in the state House of Assembly.
Reacting to the development, thePDPImoStatechapter, said it is dissatisfied over none swearing in of Hon Dibiagwu,
The statement reads in part “ we recall that the people of Oguta State constituency overwhelmingly voted for Chief Dibiagwu on the 11th day of August 2012 House of Assembly by – election and the INEC has since given him his certificate of return. The Speaker of the State House of Assembly refused swearing him in on Tuesday the 14th of August when he came for same with relevant documents.
The Speaker rather gave him a letter directing him to come on the 22nd of August 2012, for swearing in and hurriedly adjourned the House till 22nd of August 2012. Only yesterday evening a release by the State House of Assembly Information Committee Chairman, Hon. Acho Ihim announced that the House of Assembly will not sit as scheduled on the 22nd but on the 29th.
