Imo Lawmakers Cry Out Over Impeachment Plot
The suspended members of Imo State House of Assembly have raised alarm over threats by faceless individuals to support the plans to impeach the Deputy Governor of the state, Prince Eze Madumere, or face severe consequences.
Two of the affected lawmakers, who spoke to The Nation, Nkenna Nzeruo and Ifeanyi Nnataraonye, said since their sudden suspension they have been receiving threatening telephone calls from numbers they could not identify.
Nzeruo John Nkenna, the lawmaker representing Oru East, told The Nation on Friday that threats and harassment have forced him to go into hiding.
He said: “I am speaking with you from a hidden place. I have been into hiding for some time now because of the repeated threats through telephone calls that cannot be traced.
“Besides threats over telephone, there have been constant unusual movements at night in and around my compound.”
Also speaking, another suspended lawmaker, Ifeanyi Nnataraonye, said he has also received threatening calls from faceless individuals.
Nnataraonye said: “They started harassing me in Abuja, at the National Convention venue, where thugs descended on me and my colleague at the House, Lawman Duruji, physically beat me up at the open convention venue while President Muhammadu Buhari was making his welcome speech. It was unbelievable.
“What is even more stunning is that after the convention and the illegal suspension on the floor of the State House of Assembly in Owerri, the same lawmaker, Lawman Duruji, who beat me up, was made the Chairman of the Committee the Speaker set up to try our case.
“As you know, the committee was asked to do its investigation and submit the report last Thursday. But as we speak today (Saturday), there has been no invitation from the committee, no telephone call, no contact of any kind on the alleged un-parliamentary conduct.
“Instead the House simply gave itself a long vacation. This act is clearly unconstitutional, illegal and unacceptable. We will go to court to seek interpretation of the development and justice.”
The suspended lawmakers are Chiji Collins (Isiala Mbano); Ifeanyi Nnataraonye (Mbaitoli); Uche Oguwuike (Ikeduru) and Ikenna Nzeruo (Oru West).