S/Court judgment stalls activities in Imo Assembly

Activities at the Imo State House of Assembly have been at the lowest ebb since January 14 when the Supreme Court judgment sacked former governor Emeka Ihedioha, who was elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared governor of the state by the court. The […]

Activities at the Imo State House of Assembly have been at the lowest ebb since January 14 when the Supreme Court judgment sacked former governor Emeka Ihedioha, who was elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.

Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared governor of the state by the court.

The cloud of uncertainty has pervaded not only the assembly but the entire political landscape in the state, as groups and individuals crisscross trying to pledge allegiance to one or the other of the two major political groups in the state.

The situation has been exacerbated by the unending litigation over who occupies Douglas House in Owerri, the state capital. Also, daily protests by so-called pro and anti-government groups have become the order of the day in the state.

Ihedioha’s suit asking for a review of the Supreme Court decision has added to the uncertainty as the political class awaits the final judgment of the court. The anticipation is further heightened by the shift in date for the hearing.

The suit, which came up on February 18, was further shifted to March 2, on the request of counsel to the former governor, who asked for more time to file in more briefs.

However, eyes are on the Imo legislature, which is the citadel of lawmaking in the state. But the business of lawmaking has been relegated to the background as lawmakers seek political relevance by jumping ship. Since the January 14 judgment, the house has sat on few occasions, only to announce defection of members from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the new bride, the All Progressives Congress.

No sooner was the judgment given than the deputy speaker, Okey Onyekanma, sensing that his days were over with the new political dispensation, resigned.  Since his resignation on January 21, a week after the Supreme Court judgment, the office has remained vacant.

On the day the speaker resigned, about nine members defected to APC. Those that defected were four from Action Alliance, three from PDP and two from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Thereafter, the house adjourned for a week’s break, to allow for lobbying and consultations. The result was that on resumption on January 28, the speaker, Chiji Collins, led seven other members to defect to the APC.

The speaker, representing Isiala Mbano constituency, was elected under APGA. He later defected to PDP to enable him to emerge speaker since it was zoned to his Okigwe zone.

His defection followed a flurry of other defections by other members from Action Alliance (AA) and PDP to APC. Presently, APC has 22 of the 27 member House, while PDP has five.

The five PDP members are the former deputy speaker, Okey Onyekanma, representing Mbaitoli State Constituency, Tochi Okereke (Ngor Okplla), Phillip Ejiogu, (Owerri North) and Solomon Anukam (Owerri Municipal).

It is not unlikely that pressure may be brought to bear on the remaining five PDP members to join their colleagues, especially if Uzodinma gets a favourable ruling at the March 2 Supreme Court sitting.

But for now and until after the final determination of the Imo governorship saga, the business of lawmaking in Imo assembly remains relegated to a secondary issue.