Police arrest 14 lawmakers loyal to Ebonyi factional speaker

A DAY after the lawmakers passed a vote of confidence on the earlier impeached Speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly, Chukwuma Nwazunku, the state Police Command yesterday arrested 14 lawmakers loyal to a factional speaker, Helen Nwaobasi.
   The 14 members, who were not present during the plenary that endorsed the reinstated speaker, were arrested in the Ebonyi High Court premises where they had gone for a case on the leadership of the assembly between their group and the Nwazunku-led group.
 Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday re-assured indigenes of its unwavering commitment to removing Governor Tanko Al-Makura from office for alleged theft of public funds and other abuses of public office.

   They debunked the rumour that the Federal Government and some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) heavyweights in Abuja were behind the impeachment plot. House Spokesman and Chairman, Committee on Information and Security, Baba Ibaku, told newsmen after yesterday’s sitting in Lafia that the impeachment move was in the best interest of the state.

   “The issue of backing out is out of context, I dismiss that without any regret that some members have backed out,” he said. “We are one and will continue to be one in this matter.”

   Nwazunku, who was impeached three weeks ago by 18 of the 24-member parliament, had described his sack illegal and, with nine supporters, filed a suit asking the court to restrain Nwaobasi from parading herself as speaker.

   The Nwaobasi group also filed a counter-motion seeking to restrain Nwazunku from parading himself as speaker, a case for which further hearing they went yesterday but were arrested afterwards and released on bail after five hours of detention.

   Briefing newsmen on their arrest, the Minority Leader, Enyi C. Enyi, said the police laid siege at the court gate and bundled them to the nearby state headquarters, wondering why the Commissioner of Police should take sides with a minority group. He added that they would petition the Inspector General of Police on the matter.

   Reacting, the Command Spokesman, ASP Chris Anyanwu, said the police acted on the petition before it and a warrant of arrest signed by a chief magistrate, adding that the command has started investigation based on the petition.

   Ibaku described the governor as a thief, berating him for failing to cater for the workers and indigenes by downsizing despite the lawmakers’ advise against the policy. He added: “We are saying that Al-Makura is a thief and the person representing and speaking for him on this impeachment process is a thief too. The two of them are eating from one pot, whether washed or unwashed.”

   He also lampooned the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulhamid Kwarra, whom he accused of certificate forgery.

   According to him, “everybody knows that what took Kwarra away from this assembly was because he forged certificate and was removed by the present attorney general of the state on the issue of stolen certificate from the University of Jos.

   “Kwarra is a convict, a thief, somebody who has not been pardoned by this state. I don’t know why he should be speaking for this government. Anyway, birds of a feather flock together.”

   He further disclosed that Kwarra was also a brain behind the impeachment plot and has no moral standing to be anywhere in the state.

   Meanwhile, many indigenes, including a former deputy governor and Professor of Law, Onje Gyewadu, and a former magistrate and legal adviser to Ombatse cultural group, Zechariah Zamani Alumaga, have welcomed the political development in the state, stating that Al-Makura’s removal was long overdue.

Category: NEWS