Imo Assembly Goes After PDP Lawmakers

.Nkwerre Member Seat Declared Vacant, After Ploy To Suspend Owerri Municipal Lawmaker

By Onyekachi Eze

The intensified effort to shut down the minority members in the Imo State House of Assembly is gathering momentum with the latest sack of the new PDP decampee, Obinna Okwara.

Hon Okwara increased the number of the minority caucus to seven having defected from the APC to PDP last week.

There was an attempt to suspend Hon Anukam of Owerri Municipal over allegations of affront on the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, when he presented the sacked Governor, Emeka Ihedioha as his Governor on AIT network.

A committee was immediately set up by the Speaker to look into the allegation, which would thereafter be followed by a stiffer punishment.

While there is still tension on what would become the outcome of the investigation panel on Anukam who is of the Minority caucus, Okwara who just joined PDP was served with an expulsion.

It is end of the road for Rt Hon. Obinna Okwara, member for Nkwerre State Constituency as he has been asked to leave the 9th Imo House of Assembly.

Speaker Kennedy Ibeh during yesterday’s plenary session declared Nkwerre Seat vacant, thereby terminating the continued stay of Okwara as a member of the 9th House.

Ibeh, relying to section 109 of 1999 Constitution as amended, said Okwara erred by defecting to another party other than the party that gave him the mandate in 2019.

Through a motion moved by member for Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Hon Blyden Amajirionwu, he prayed that the Seat of Hon . Obinna Okwara be declared vacant owing to his defection to PDP.

Hon. Blyden who copiously quoted section 109 of 1999 Constitution as amended, particularly subsection (1) and (2), said that any member who left the party that sponsored his election and moved to another party, the Speaker shall declare such a seat vacant.

His motion was seconded by Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins, member representing Isiala Mbano State Constituency. The Speaker who immediately consulted the Constitution and House Rule, asked that Hon Blyden Amajirionwu substantiate his allegation by presenting evidences.

The Ngor- Okpala member laid pictorials and VCD to the table showing where Hon. Obinna Okwara defected to PDP and raised up PDP party card.
Bound by the constitutional provision, the Speaker who painstakingly read the relevant portions of the constitution, called for voice votes, with almost all the honourable members giving nod to the constitutional provision.
The Speaker therefore declared the seat of Nkwerre State Constituency vacant and called on INEC to conduct bye-election in the area within a specified period of 90 days.

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