I promised to continue with my series on “Imo State Polytechnic and the Travesty of Deceit” which is on going since I have not exhausted my revelations. However, the raging divergent views over the recent declaration of the seat of the member representing Oru East state constituency, Hon (Barr) Greg Okemili, paused the expected continuation of the Imo Poly rot.
The media in the state has been awash with the controversial sack of a lawmaker by the speaker, Rt Hon Ben Umajumogu who it was reported used the announcement to conclude the day’s sitting. While the mater came as a rude shock to some members of the legislature who were packing their items to leave the hallowed chambers, the action has remained a subject of discussion in public domain.
Interestingly, my medium Trumpeta Newspaper is a partaker in the sizzling drama that is gradually taking the shine off the life of the present House of Assembly. There is no gain saying the fact that Trumpeta in its characteristics of making exclusive revelations blew the lid open when in one of its edition led with a story “Court sacks Imo Lawmaker, Okemili”. Trumpeta in the story did disclose that Okemili’s main challenger for the Oru East Assembly seat, and another lawyer, Barr Robert Okwuego went to court to obtain a judgment which quashed an earlier judgment obtained by Okemili. According to the Appeal Court, lack of fair hearing necessitated the action, there was no reaction from the Speaker and Imo State House of Assembly concerning that report declaring Okemili’s seat vacant. It was only Okemili who however informed Trumpeta editorial crew that within the mandatory 21 days allowed for appeal, he has gone to Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the Appeal Court hence, the status quo remains, pending the ruling of the apex court on the matter.
The recent brouhaha over Okemili’s sack has been laced with insinuations bothering on political reasons. I am not a trained lawyer or an attorney to be involved in necessary legal terminologies and jargons to address the Okemili saga. I have not also come to interpret or take sides with any of the contending parties. My views centre on a reportorial account of the imbroglio rocking the state assembly over the removal of Okemili.
From all indications, the manner the lawyer turned politician from Oru East, Okemili was asked not to enter Assembly complex again is preposterous and speaks volume of rumoured orchestrated plot to victimize him and other marked lawmakers over his decision not to join the All Progressive Congress, APC, from APGA. Okemili is one of the APGA lawmakers who jettisoned the APC move unlike some of his APGA and PDP colleagues who have joined the state governor in APC.
Okemili trouble may have started early last year when Trumpeta in it usual style of unearthing hidden developments published how members of the House of Assembly of APGA extraction, allegedly wrote letters of resignation with their letter heads which were deposed to the speaker and the governor of the state. The “resignation letter” saga was necessitated by an alarm raised by the state governor where it was alleged that there are plans by the opposition and PDP lawmakers in the House to impeach governor Okorocha. Alarmed at this development, there were fraternal resolutions among the APGA lawmakers for oath- taking exercises followed by the signing of resignation letters which serves as a collateral for the monetary reward that followed the arrangement where each of the partakers from APGA received huge amount of money running into millions of naira. Among the APGA pact, Okemili exempted himself from the exercise that was held January, 2013. When confronted by newsmen on reasons why he refused to dot lines for his resignation to the governor, the Oru East representative who was instrumental and campaigned vigorously for the emergence of Okorocha as governor said that it was an anathema for an elected lawmaker to depose a premeditated resignation letter to an elected person who also has public mandate adding that he only has the mandate of his people and constituents not from a chief executive officer of a state. The fiery lawyer cum politician dared the consequences to publicly declare that he signed a resignation letter. Unknowingly, this was the beginning of troubles for Okemili, contrary to the believe that it was geared towards forging unity among APGA lawmakers for Okorocha against PDP predators, the arrangement was part of the ground work to sweep off the impeached Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso who was shoved aside on phantom charge of allegedly collecting N458m bribe from JPros company, a road contract handling firm owned by a Lebanese Joseph Dina.
Moments after the present administration noticed Okemili’s obstinate postures towards the signing of resignation letters and his rumoured rosy relationship with the senator representing Orlu Zone, Senator Hope Uzodimma, he became a suspect in the then APGA fold. To cow Okemili, some forces, according to popular belief induced Okwuego to resuscitate his struggle and that resulted to the Appeal Court case against his inauguration as member of the House. What may have also ignited the anti-Okemili warfare is the coming of APC and the decision of Okorocha and reasonable percent of the lawmakers joining the new party.
Okemili and four others namely, Eudora Igwe (Ideato North), Dan Ikpeazu (Owerri North) Victor Ndumagu (Mbaitolu) and Victor Mere (Owerri Municipal) refused to join and become APC members from APGA. Their refusal put the public declaration of the APC members in limbo Any attempt by some of the APGA lawmakers to decamp to APC with five remaining legislator will undoubtably see the PDP emerging majority party in the House which is likely to cause upheavals in Assembly.
Even when threats were said to have been applied and the Speaker said to be poised to declare their positions of the non APC-compliant five lawmakers vacant, based on the letters of resignation signed earlier, Okemili was reported to have advised the “APGA five” to rush to court stopping any authority from declaring their positions vacant because of the purported resignation letter on grounds that it was induced and products of illegalities.
Before the recent pronouncements relieving Okemili of his position, it was even rumoured that the Oru East lawmaker will be fired by the powers “that be” for instigating the APGA five to head to court against the Governor and Mr Speaker. When that approach failed, the Appeal Court of June 13, 2003 now became the killer punch to ostracise Okemili.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back and further infuriated APC apologists and House leadership was the APGA bravado showcased by few APGA lawmakers in the House during one of the plenary session where honourables Okemili, Igwe and Ndunagu appeared in the House chamber with APGA uniforms. Apart from wearing the attire that bears Ojukwu, Obi and the APGA insignia, the respective members shouted APGA-Onyeaghalanwanneya to who cared to listen in the Assembly complex. His action further irked the APC leadership of the House and the Government House who moved into action to probably cut him into size.
By next sitting of the House, the letter purported to have emanated from the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice was read out declaring the seat vacant.
My elemtary knowledge of law shows that to qualified to be a Member of the House of Assembly after elections, section 75 of the Electoral Act of 2010 states “A sealed certificate of Return at an election in a proscribed form shall be issued within 7 days to every candidate who has won an election under the Act. Provided that where the court of Appeal of the Supreme Court being the final appellate court in any election petition as the case may be nullifies the certificate of Return of any candidate, the commission shall, within 48 hours after the receipt of the order of such court issue the successful candidate with a valid certificate of Return
section (2) of the Electoral Act says “where the commission refuses and, or neglects to issue a certificate of Return, a certified true copy of order of a court of competent jurisdiction, shall ipso facto, be sufficient for the purpose of swearing-in a candidate declared as winner by the court.
Taking a cue from the above expression, the questions that arise are; did Okemili who has no certificate of return obtain a court judgment ab initio from a competent court of jurisdiction to be sworn in as an inaugurated member of the House? and if positive, was he sworn in as a member of the House based on the earlier APGA fraternity which was needed them by the APGA government to form majority?
Again, if Okwuego went to Appeal Court to challenge the decision against what Okemili obtained at the Federal High Court which acted in lieu of Certificate of Return provided in law for admission into Imo Assembly, since June 2013, why would the Speaker act now on the matter eight months, after, based on advise of the present state Attorney General Umeh (SAN) when the removed Sorronnadi Njoku had treated it?
Another pertinent question begging for answer is reasons behind the action of the Speaker when Okemili had claimed he filed notices against the Appeal Court decision at the Supreme Court which were served to all interested parties including the Speaker scheduled to hold April 13 this year?
And finally, the manner the matter was introduced and executed on the floor of the House challenges Speaker Uwajumogu’s sincerely and legislative dexterity in handling affairs of the state legislature. While the members denied knowledge of the letter sacking Okemili as it was not discussed during an Executive session in the Speaker’s office, or introduced during announcements as contained in Order Paper (working instrument of the House during deliberations), the letter was made public late during adjournment, thereby denying members opportunity to contribute on the matter.
I knew that before the end of the life of present House, some members will be at the receiving end of injustices and undemocratic treatment. Okemili and co were part of the lawmakers who hurriedly swept off Agbaso as Deputy to Okorocha on trumped up charges of bribery and corruption.
But later revelations have revealed that there is more to it that the claim of the state Assembly members. Though a tree cannot make a forest, but Okemili was also on the floor of the House when the Appeal Court victory of the elected chairmen and councilors has been thwarted by the present government since 2012.
I will end here but must add that Ewu richaa ji onye ama, ya eriwa nke onye ulo (if a goat finishes eating the yam of an outsider, it will start eating that of the owner) I am aware that as the election year approaches, more victims of similar injustices are loading in Imo Assembly.
