The Imo State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon Chike Olemgbe, has suspended four lawmakers indefinitely for allegedly plotting to impeach him.
The affected lawmakers are Hon Samuel Chidiebere Ogbunikpa (Okigwe State Constituency), Hon Dominic Ezerioha (Oru-west State Constituency), Hon Samuel Nkem Otuibe (Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency), and Hon Henry Agabasonu (Ezinihitte Mbaise State Constituency).
Tensions have been high in the House of Assembly, with some members fanning discord and threatening the smooth relationship between the Legislature and Executive.
The situation escalated at a training workshop in Abuja, where legislators opposed to the Speaker openly cast aspersions on him, leading to a shouting match.
The incident was seen as part of a larger plot to destabilize the House and impeach the Speaker.
An unnamed legislator had recently in the media levelled grave allegations against the Speaker, including ineptitude, incompetence, and reducing the House to a “rubber stamp”.
The legislator claimed that the Speaker’s removal was necessary to prevent them from becoming “poorer” and to enable them to effectively represent their constituents.
However, another source in the House informed this newspaper that the disgruntled legislators are motivated by selfish reasons, including extortion and greed.
Ranking members from the Speaker’s Okigwe Senatorial zone were said to be behind the plot, seeking to pave the way for themselves to become Speaker.