The Enugu State Police Command has invited the Speaker of the state
house of assembly, Eugene Odoh, over some allegations raised against
Governor Sullivan Chime by a group of lawmakers who seek to remove him
from office.
It was gathered that the invitation followed a petition sent to the police by the governor, who had denied the allegations.
Our correspondent learnt that the police, specifically, want Odoh
to defend allegations that the governor forged a N12bn supplementary
budget in 2012.
Also invited by the police over the matter is a chieftain of the
Peoples Democratic Party in the state, former National Auditor, Chief
Ray Nnaji, who had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, seeking the investigation of several allegations bordering
on official corruption against the governor.
The fresh development emerged even as the Enugu State House of
Assembly remained under locks, about four days after an Enugu Federal
High Court ordered the police to reopen the legislative complex.
The assembly had been locked since May 5, when crisis erupted in
the House after Odoh led about 14 lawmakers to commence impeachment
proceedings against Chime.
Seven other legislators, who opposed the impeachment plot, removed Odoh as the Speaker, and elected Chinedu Nwamba in his place.
Nwamba is currently enjoying the backing of the governor, as well
as the leadership of the PDP in the state, which had moved swiftly to
congratulate him on his ’emergence’ as the new Speaker.
Addressing journalists in Enugu on Thursday, Odoh expressed
reservations at the ‘invitation’ by the police, which he said could be a
ploy to detain and “poison” him while he is at the police headquarters.
He said it was wrong for the police to wade into issues that
emanated in the course of the constitutional functions of the house of
assembly.
Odoh, who explained that he just returned to Enugu after attending a
Speakers’ Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, accused the Commissioner of
Police in Enugu State, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, of promoting illegality
in the state.
He also expressed shock that the police has refused to reopen the house of assembly, despite the court order.
“As of this moment the commissioner of police has not obeyed the order.
“Instead, the commissioner of police invited me in respect of a petition written by the governor.
“I may be detained and poisoned at the headquarters of the police command,” he said.
Odoh explained that he was ordered to honour the invitation on
Monday, next week, after he informed the police that he was indisposed,
and as a result, would not be able to report at the command’s
headquarters on Thursday.
“The police cannot take over the functions of the state house of
assembly – the same issues raised in the impeachment notice are the same
reasons the police are inviting me and Ray Nnaji.
“The invitation is probably a ploy to poison us.
“It is not favourable to my personal liberty, it is contrary to the court order and it is against the rule of law.
“The police is descending into the arena of the conflict between
the executive and legislative arms of the government,” Odoh added.
He urged the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to caution the Enugu State commissioner of police.
Commenting on Nwamba’s claims to the office of the Speaker, Odoh
said, “He (Nwamba) could be the governor’s Speaker, I have no problem
with that.
“But I am the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly.”
Our correspondent observed that a team of anti-riot policemen is
still positioned in front of the entrance gate of the house of assembly
complex, which was padlocked.
But the spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Ebere
Amaraizu, told our correspondent that the policemen are only there to
maintain security.
Asked why the police is still in position at the gate, despite the
court order, the police spokesman said, “We maintain security there, we
have a police station in the assembly.”
“We don’t have the keys to the place – it is with the lawmakers,” he added.
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