*Members Insist On Entitlement, Outstanding Benefits Before Handover
*PDP woo Members To Amend House Rule On Ranking Member.
There is big rumble in the Imo State House of Assembly.
Reports had flown on the social media in the last two days that members are at crossroads with Speaker, Rt Hon.Acho Ihim over some issues.
This was refuted by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Marcel Ekwezuo who said there was no such plan.
However, there are indications that the ongoing big rumble in the House is as a result of members insistence in having all their entitlements and allowances paid before the hand over date on May 29.Their agitation stem from the fact that the incoming House or the new administration may not be favourably disposed to grant such requests.
The Speaker is said to have come under intense pressure from members to get the Executives to comply with their demands.
Also, the incoming government is alleged to be making some underground moves to get some members of present House to amend some House rules which will pave way for the selection of principal officers of the incoming 9th Assembly.
The move is aimed at relaxing the House Rule to make way for a non ranking member to emerge as Speaker of the House.
A top source in the Assembly who spoke on condition of anonymity said ” The move is ongoing now to ensure that a new Speaker is elected on the day of the inauguration of the 9th Imo State House of Assembly by the incoming Governor.There is intense lobbying in that direction.
“These are the two issues rumbling in the House. The entitlements of the members and the push by the PDP to ensure House rule on appointment or selection of the Speaker and other principal officers are carried out by the current House before handover date. There is no reason to impeach the Speaker as insinuated in the media
This newspaper gathered that the PDP is bent on producing the Speaker of the incoming House of Assembly based on the dicey composition of the House which gives two opposition political parties, the Action Alliance, AA and the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA a collective number of 14 members.
The PDP have 13 members elect.The Governorship candidates of the AA and APGA, Uche Nwosu and Ifeanyi Araraume respectively have dragged the Governor elect, Emeka Ihedioha and the PDP to Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the outcome of the governorship election.
The Tribunal had yesterday granted the AA candidate, Nwosu permission to inspect election materials used for the polls.
These combination of deadly factors posing at the next government is said to be keeping the PDP on its toes. This explains the need by the PDP leadership to close up all “loose ends” ahead of the inauguration of the House in June.
With no member elect of PDP extraction from Okigwe zone which is supposed to produce the Speaker, the camp of the incoming Governor, Emeka Ihedioha is said to be favouring a Speaker from Orlu zone where the PDP have three members elect.All the three members are first timers and by the present House Rule, they stand no chance to clinch the Speakership of the House.
The source told this newspaper “This is the big rumble in the House. Top chieftains of the PDP are pushing for the House Rule on ranking to be amended before the next House of Assembly comes on board.
“Since they cannot trust non PDP members elect who emerged from Okigwe zone, the best bet is to get a core PDP member as Speaker from Orlu zone.
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