Threats and counter threats have dominated the ongoing frosty relationship between members of the Imo State House of Assembly and the Executive Arm of government over the botched 2018 budget.
Newspaper reports had said Governor Rochas Okorocha had threatened some of the members of no return tickets to the House in 2019. This is coming barely a month the Governor had reportedly pencilled down five of the lawmakers for re election.
However, the lawmakers insistence on their Constituency votes and how the bail out funds accrued to the State from the Federal Government have been managed seem to have jolted the Governor who had enjoyed a ‘warm’ relationship with the lawmakers for a long time before now.
Further signs that the relationship had gone sour emerged when the Clerk of the House Chris Duru was suspended for acts bordering on sabotage.
He was accused by the lawmakers of leaking vital information to Government House even before the 2018 budget presentation arose. This was said to have led to another round of subtle crisis between the Speaker and his colleagues which led to fresh threats of impeachment on the Speaker.
The Speaker has denied any of such.
However, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon.Lugard Osuji in a chat said it is unfortunate that the ongoing development which arose over the 2018 botched Budget has been misinterpreted to reflect a feud between the Governor and the House members.
“There is no crisis between the House members and the Governor. Some people are just taking advantage of the issue of Budget presentation to say all sorts of things” Osuji said.