IMOLITES EXPRESS SHOCK OVER STATE ASSEMBLY SILENCE ON KILLINGS -

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By Onyekachi Eze
Following the chaos ravaging the nook and cranny of Imo State resulting in incessant killings, arrests and detentions of Imo masses by security operatives, the Imo public have expressed serious concern on the continued silence by the State House of Assembly.
Imo House of Assembly members have been silent from speaking up since the insecurity in the State worsened.
Unlike their counterparts from other States of the Federation, those in Imo have rather remained mute, than either coming out to condemn or proffer solution to the end of the menace.
As one of the arms of Government, the Legislature plays a vital role in shaping the State, especially with people oriented bills or motions, and when critical, an official statement would go a long way.
Since the House members, from the Speaker to the last were all elected by a people in their respective Constituencies, it was expected that they will rise up in defending their Constituents who make up the State.
Suffice it to say that instead of doing so, the House channels their energy with APC membership registration exercise across the State.
While the insecurity situation worsens, Speaker of the House who doubles as the number three citizen of the State was seen moving from one Local Government to another canvassing for more entrants into APC.
This has caused stir in public places, especially among elites who asked if truly the Speaker knows what “the legislature” represents in a democratic setting.
Without qualms, the acclaimed majority leader of the House was busy basking in the euphoria of “Apex leadership” said to have bestowed on him by some part of Owerri West APC.
In a related development, as mouthpiece of the people in government, since there is an outcry to remove the military on Imo streets, as well as restore confidence in the masses, words and actions of the Parliament are often regarded as law.
An elder statesman who doesn’t want his name in print asked, “Do we even have State House of Assembly? If yes, what are they doing and what have they said so far in the event of this insecurity in the State?
“If it were during the 1st to least 6th Houses of Imo Assembly, there would have been a massive difference. Words of the House those days were Laws and highly respected by the governor”.
“Twenty-seven people elected by different LGAs are quiet while their people are incarcerated on daily basis or dead by stray bullets. This is time for them to be relevant in the eyes of the people that elected them”, he said.