AThe Abia State chapter of the All Progressive
Grand Alliance has expressed disappointment over
the suspension of the Minority Leader of the
state House of Assembly, Abraham Oba.
Oba has been replaced by Ikedi Ezekwesiri,
representing Umunneochi constituency.
Oba was removed and suspended by the House
on Tuesday for addressing a press conference
where he claimed that APGA members in the
House were deceived by the Speaker, Martins Azubuike, over the details of a N30bn loan which
was approved for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to
take. APGA has 11 members while the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party has 13 of the 24 members in
the House.
The APGA members had, at the briefing, criticised
the resolution of the House authorising the state
government to secure the loan.
They said that the explanation given by the Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Obinna
Oriaku, contradicted the content of the governor’s letter read to the members by the Speaker.
Eight APGA members at the briefing
disassociated themselves from the resolution, and
demanded an immediate explanation from the
governor on the purpose of the loan.
They also warned commercial banksvnegotiating
to grant the loan to be careful until the governor clarified the matter.
Responding to Oba’s removal, the APGA Secretary
in the state, Chief Sunday Onukwubiri, said the
action of the House was disappointing, but noted
that the party was yet to take a position on the
development.
He said, “Oba did not commit any crime but he
merely informed Abia indigenes about what
happened in the House which affect their lives as
a people. Do the public not have the right to know what happens in the House ?”
The APGA secretary insisted that due process
was not followed on the N30bn loan.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Cosmos
Ndukwe, told our correspondent in Umuahia that
Oba was suspended for anchoring an abusive
press briefing.
He said the action of the former Minority Leader
was not right because the House had already
approved the resolution, insisting that due
process was followed.
Ndukwe alleged that Oba and his collegaues were
put under pressure by the governorship candidate
of the APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, to organise the press
briefing.
Ndukwe further said that members of the House
would resist any attempt by anybody to destablise the state.
He said that the decision to remove Oba was
signed and moved by six APGA members in the
House.
He claimed that not all APGA members were part
of the briefing where Oba made the allegations.
He said the APGA members were not united.
When asked for his comments, Oba declined but
said all inquiries should be directed to the party’s
0 Comments