Angela Mbaocha, Abakaliki
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Ebonyi state, has reacted to the removal of Obasi Odefa representing Onicha East state constituency as the Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, had on Monday declared the seat of the Deputy Speaker vacant after reading a purported letter from Odefa stating his alleged resignation as a member of the state Assembly.
Nwifuru after reading the letter declared the seat of Onicha East constituency, being the constituency Odefa was representing vacant.
He swore in Hon. Kingsley Ogbonnaya lkoro, representing Afikpo North West state constituency, as the new Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State Assembly.In a swift reaction, Obasi debunked the said resignation, reiterating he never authorized any document of such.
However, the State Chairman of PDP, Hon Okorie while addressing newsmen at the end of the Party’s expanded state Working Committee Meeting held in Abakaliki on Tuesday, reiterated that Odefa remains the undisputed substantive Deputy Speaker of the house.
He said the attempted forceful removal of Odefa was effort in futility.
Stating; “Let me state categorically therefore that Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa remains the undisputed substantive Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly as at today February 22, 2022.
“It is a trite saying that you cannot put something on nothing. Therefore, falsehood, forgery, lies and impunity cannot and will never be allowed to take over Ebonyi State parliament irrespective of the powers behind such evil move.”The disgraceful document flying around purporting to be a resignation letter by the Honourable Deputy Speaker is nothing but an act of forgery perpetrated by no less a person than the (former) Speaker of the EBHA, Hon. Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru leading a handful of other members.
“It is a huge a shame that the leadership of the House could descend into such petty crimes and criminality to commit forgery and perjury, telling brazen lies, all in an effort to victimize the Deputy Speaker for daring the demigod of Ebonyi Government House by reaffirming his membership of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.
Okorie maintained that the removal of the Deputy Speaker and subsequent declaration of his seat vacant was not just an affront to constitutionalism, but an insult to the collective memory of the people of Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large.
He assured PDP faithfuls in the state and Nigerians that the party, “shall remain firm and on the side of the law and therefore, will explore all legal avenues to restore the confidence of the electorate in the state Parliament”.
“Similarly, as can be confirmed by their presence in our expanded state Working Committee Meeting of today and their presence in this press briefing, the jejune and forged letters read by 15 members of the House of Assembly to the effect that Hon. Oliver Osi and Hon. Ngozi Eziulo had resigned their membership of the PDP and subsequently defected to the APC is also another sad case of brazen forgery and defamation for which the individual lawmakers have already resolved to seek redress in appropriate courts of law.
“It is important to reiterate that the PDP Ebonyi State will leave no stone unturned in our determined and spirited effort to restore normalcy, law and order in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and bring to justice all those who have conspired and have committed such heinous crimes bringing the State institutions of democracy to disrepute” he added.
