RUMBLES IN IMO ASSEMBLY:
UJU ONWUDIWE ALLEGES: I ESCAPED BEING KILLED BY AHIAZU MBAISE LAWMAKER
•NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED, REPLIES SAM OTUIBE
••AS HOUSE MEMBER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKS FEMALE COLLEAGUE WITH BOTTLE, GLASS CUP
But for divine intervention, a member of the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Uju Onwudiwe would have either be in the mortuary or receiving treatment in a health facility by now following an attack targeted at her by a colleague during a meeting.
Trumpeta learnt that it was a show of shame as members exhibited dishonorable acts by engaging in near fight using dangerous weapons like bottle and cup of glass.
While it is believed that public display like fighting can be linked to only thugs and street boys, the lawmakers of the Imo Assembly appear to have joined the rumble.
It was gathered that the representative of Ahiazu Mbaise, Samuel Otuibe had challenges with the member for Njaba, Uju Onwudiwe.
It was further gathered that for the presence of their colleagues who intervened, blood bath that would have resulted to casualties would have followed.
Trumpeta gathered that trouble ensued when the lawmakers were charting way forward for their welfare in the residence of the Deputy Speaker on Monday, Rt Hon Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu.
In the process, the issue of the Speaker was raised, and while Hon Ngozi Obiefule for Isu was still addressing the floor, Otuibe was accused to have used harsh words to hush her down.
It was said that Onwudiwe who couldn’t withstand the unfair tackle from the male colleague asked Otuibe to allow the Isu female lawmaker have her say. Otuibe, apparently irked by Uju’s interjection was accused to have have allegedly picked a bottle beside him and flung at Onwudiwe’s direction for challenging him.
Eye witnesses account disclosed that Uju missed the missile by whiskers as luck was on her side when the flying bottle was waged by others nearby from getting at the lawmaker popularly known as Igolo Njaba.
As if that was not enough, it was learnt that the Ahiazu Mbaise member again allegedly picked a wine glass on the table to try similar attack. This time, Trumpeta gathered that the action injured two of the legislators who stopped the weapon hitting Hon Uju Onwudiwe direct.
Reacting, Hon. Uju Onwudiwe expressed shock over the incident, and described what just happened as an attempt to kill and nothing but a deliberate act to commit murder.
Confirming the incident, Onwudiwe stated that, at first, when the bottle was flung towards her, she saw it before two members; Heclus Okoro and Freedoline Nnodumele blocked it before it gets to her. He accused (Otuibe) of repeating the act by throwing glass cup which didn’t only tore the window blind in the building, but also gave Hon Nnodumele and Heclus Okoro deep cuts.
When asked if they had an unsettled issue before, she responded in the negative, stressing that they had neither been friends nor had anything in common before,
if not that they met themselves as lawmakers of the 9th Assembly.
In her voice, “I haven’t done anything wrong to him before. We have never been friends before and has either talked or have annoyed him. His actions were purely deliberate, like one playing someone else’s script”.
Onwudiwe added, “I totally condemn any form of violence which was the reason why I chiefly sponsored a bill against violence that is on the committee stage now. He over reacted unnecessarily, and if no stringent punishment is done now, it might repeat again”.
When contacted on telephone, the accused, Hon Sam Otuibe denied having knowledge of the incident. He claimed it as a rumour.
Although he replied in the affirmative that he was part of the meeting at the Deputy Speaker’s lodge, he said if actually the two lawmakers said to have sustained injuries from the said glass cup was true, they would have been in the hospital by now.
Otuibe therefore warned against rumour mongers, adding that in the case of 22 lawmakers signing the impeachment process of the Speaker, it never happened, but was hyped by rumour.
HAVE IMO LAWMAKERS OVERCOME CORONAVIRUS?
There is a posibility that members of the Imo State House of Assembly have overcome the scourge of the coronavirus pandemic.
The feeling may not be unconnected with the recent public display and appearance of the members who had been on isolation for the past three weeks, following reported cases that have to do with 14 of them.
As at last week, the members who have been in hibernation were spotted in public places, mingling with political associates without any cause for alarm.
Their presence triggered off rested questions from the people within their midst who discussed in hushed tones about their public appearance.
Although there is no official announcement yet concerning when the lawmakers will resume from the covid-19 induced holiday, their body language says it clearly that they are ripe for resumption.
Similarly, those among the legislators that tested positive of the pandemic, from the look of things are considered healthy, and are already on their feet with normal activities
From the public glare, the Speaker, Collins Chiji Collins, Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amarachi Chyna Iwuanyanwu, Honorables; Freedoline Nnodumele, Eddy Obinna, Dominic Ezerioha, Solomon Anukam, among others have already bounced out from quarantine which other members embarked on.
PENSION PAYMENT; UCHE OGBUAGU IN THE EYES OF THE MASSES
One reoccurring decimal afflicting civil service in Imo State is the continued non payment of pensions and gratuities, as well as salaries of the work force.
This anomaly has become a norm where successive governments fail to cater for the interest of retirees forcing the pensioners to always embark on protest.
As Imolites joined to condemn the indifferent attitude of successive government to the plight of pensioners,
among those who mounted vocal campaign against this trend of past governments was a comedian turned politician and lawmaker representing Ikeduru State Constituency in the State Assembly, Hon. Uche Ogbuagu.
During governor Rochas Okorocha’s eight years tenure in office, Ogbuagu picked the gauntlet to champion the crusade for proper welfare of the retirees. He made the issue a subject of discussion using the airwaves.
Ogbuagu never rested while Imo workforce and pensioners were owed. Through his private radio station, ‘My Radio’, he championed the crusade to kick against non payment of pensioners and workers too.
One of the names peculiar to Ogbuagu’s identity, ‘k’opuo’ was earned all in his bid to get the then government of Okorocha out of the way, since it became glaring that he never took the payment of workers and pensions seriously.
That clamour was repeated during the brief period of Chief Emeka Ihedioha administration. Despite winning under the PDP platform that brought in Ihedioha, the lawmaker took a swipe at the manner some issues were handled before the Supreme Court struck and changed the tide.
Surprisingly, since the same fate that befall Imo workers and retirees in the past has continued in the present dispensation of governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration, Ogbuagu is yet to say anything thereby attracting all eyes on him for alleged incriminating silence.
Also known as ‘Mr. Talkinson’ in the comedy world, Ogbuagu’s silence in the present dispensation is suspicious which indicate that he may have been forced to keep mute against government of the day he is part of.
Recall that after the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha for APC’s Uzodimma, Ogbuagu was one of the state lawmakers that left the PDP for APC and got rewarded with a Majority Leader position.
It has become a subject of discussion in the public why Ogbuagu has shut up against unfair government policies to workers and retirees having being an agent provocateur of the struggle in the past.
To some, Ogbuagu’s silence may not be far fetched from his position in the House of Assembly as the Majority leader who may have considered his new marriage with the ruling party a sacred pact that doesn’t need antagonistic posture.
MEMBERS READY FOR SPEAKER CHIJI
Except for a special intervention of the State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, or the Speaker Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins amends his way to resolve with his colleagues, the impeachment dangle is hovering around him.
The lawmakers, Trumpeta Assembly Vibes gathered are geared towards going after the Speaker in their course of fighting for a better welfare program.
The Speaker who represents Isiala Mbano constituency can be said to be under fire as reports that his colleagues are poised to remove him become prominent in the media circle.
Already, not less than 22 house members are said to agreed to impeach the Speaker if he fails to play along with them.
To fuel this fear, Chiji had told the world of plans by the lawmakers to remove him. Not only did he allege of the plans but added that their target is Uzodinma. He also added a proviso that those behind the planned removal were of the PDP thereby linking the immediate past Governor and candidate of the party in the 2019 election, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha as the mastermind.
It was gathered that prior to a publication where the members were alleged to have threatened the governor and speaker with impeachment, few of the lawmakers although under strict anonymity have made further revelations that they are neither after the governor nor to impeach him as claimed in the said publication, but only after the Speaker.
It was authoritatively gathered that Chiji has been informed to either resign honorably or face stiffer measures by the majority of the members.
Some of the lawmakers that spoke to this newspaper disclosed that reasons for their actions are connected to allegations of high handedness, greed and exhibition of double standard tendencies the Speaker was accused of.
One of the members, Hon Frank Ugboma who spoke about the grievances of his colleagues said that the speaker through his activities subjected the lawmakers mere ‘alleluia boys’ who do not know their left from right.
According to the aggrieved member, the speaker has never protected their interest irrespective of his position as their leader.
However, the members numbering over 20 who are said to have endorsed papers seeking for his sack as their helmsman have threatened to revoke the House rules should he fail to reconvene the House any moment from now.
KNOW WHAT IMO ASSEMBLY LAW FOR OIL MILL SAYS
Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma on the 5th of June, 2020 assented to the law entitled, “A law to provide for the licensing and control of oil mills in Imo State and for related matters”.
That followed a thorough debate that led to the amendment of the law finally passed by the State legislature.
This, according to the Assembly became necessary following suspected indiscriminate operation by oil mills in the State, especially in prevalent areas like Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta, among other LGAs.
From the citation of the law, oil in that regard involves vegetable oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, etc.
While the public was expected to obey the laws therein, Assembly vibes deem it necessary to highlight on the cardinal sections contained in it.
The law states;
“As from the commencement of this law, no person shall carry on or engage in the business of milling oil in the State unless he holds a license granted by the Commissioner for agriculture.
“Any person carrying on or engaged in the business of milling oil in the State prior to the commencement of this law shall before the expiry of one month from such commencement, apply to the commissioner for a license to mill oil”.
Based on the duration of the licensing, it reads, “A license issued under a section of this law shall remain in force for a period of one year after which an application for renewal of the licence shall be made to the commissioner”.
Notwithstanding, the commissioner in his discretion may cancel any license if the person or persons contravenes the laid down rules and regulations contained in the law.
Part of the law further states that the civil service commission of the State may at the request of the commissioner appoint inspectors as case may be.
On that premise, the inspectors are to carry out the following functions with or without early information to the oil mills; inspect the mills, examine and take samples of any oil, by-products or waste; and any substance used in connection with the milling of oil, as well as apply tests where necessary.
It also instructs that a person milling oil or his agents shall render to every inspector all equipment for examination and inspection.
On a stiffer note, defaulters are to face the following sanctions;
“Any person who mills oil without being licensed in accordance with the sections of the law shall be guilty of an offense and liable on conviction, to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand naira (#250,000), or imprisonment to a specified period”.
