The governing All Progressives Congress, APC, may lose majority status of the Imo State House of Assembly.
This is no good news for the Speaker, Kennedy Ibe, who is reportedly said to risk impeachment from members over allegations of high handedness and lack of concern for their welfare.
Aside the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which has maintained it’s minority status despite the suspension of two of it’s members by the Speaker, the Labour party, is also attracting some disenchanted members of the House to its fold.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA is also attracting fresh converts.
Analysts foresee a ‘rainbow coalition’ in the House, which may lead to the Speaker’s exit to and possibly erode the formidable grip of the governing party of the House.
This newspaper observed that after the APC primary in the State, where most members failed to secure return tickets, majority of them resorted to pitch their political tents elsewhere.
A source said the number of members in PDP, APGA, and Labour party, “can considerably weaken APC’s grip of the House and put the Speaker on target for likely impeachment”
Among those who left the APC for other political parties are former Majority Leader, Uche Ogbuagu, who joined the Labour Party where he picked the House of Reps ticket of the party for Mbaike Federal Constituency.
Hon Ngozi Obiefule and Hon Arthur Egwim, also left the APC for APGA to run for Reps seat of Isu/Njaba/Nkwerre/ Nwangele and Ideato Federal Constituencies respectively.
Hon Hercules Okoro, who represents Ohaji/Egbema State Constituency, also left the APC for Labour party to seek a return to the House.
With the fear of losing grip of the House, the Speaker is said to be on the firing range of the opposition lawmakers, particularly from the PDP, who are at cross with him, over the manner he hurriedly declared the seat of Tony Okereke, member representing Ngor State Constituency, vacant.
Also, the seat of Obinna Okwara,member representing Nkwerre State Constituency was also declared vacant by the Speaker after Okwara had dumped the APC for the PDP.
Also, the clampdown on members for Orsu and Mbaitoli State Constituencies, Ekene Nnodumele and Okey Onyekanma, by the Speaker’s suspension hammer, is said to swelling the enemy camp of the Speaker.
But another source said there is no cause for alarm because those who decamped to Labour party and APGA only went to seek for political refuge and are not necessarily congregating to sack the Speaker.
“Some members left the ruling party after failing to win return tickets and after promises to them by the Governor did not materialize.
“Some went to APGA, Labour party to seek platforms to return and in the long run, seek to rejoin the ruling party when they eventually scale through” said an Assembly source familiar with undercurrents in the House.
