Ebonyi Paralysed As Youths Protest Plot To Impeach Gov 

Published on March 3, 2015 by Hon Taiwo

As plans to impeach Governor Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State continue, commercial activities were on Monday paralysed in Abakaliki, the state capital in esatern Nigeria for hours as youths took to the streets in protest against the move.

Motorists were trapped in a traffic girlock due to the protest. While the protest lasted, the road from Kpiri-Kpiri to the town through Government House were blocked.

The protesters gathered at Abakaliki township stadium from where they marched through the streets to the Government House where they were addressed by top government officials.

Though the protest was peaceful as police provided security, some of the youths carried a placards which read “Enough is enough, Ebonyi says no to impeachment”, “Ebonyi State is not for sale”, “Ebonyi Supports Goodluck/Sambo”, “Elechi has fulfilled his campaign promises”, etc.

Addressing the protesters at Government House gate, the SSG Dr. Boniface Chima urged the people to protect their PVCs and vote out bad politicians.

According to him, the youth should vote a good leader who has the masses’ interest at heart.

He lambasted politicians in the state who want to secure power at all costs for feeding the people with falsehood about government.

Also, the Commissioner for Finance Mr. Timothy Ogah, lamented that Ebonyi politicians in Abuja take delight in causing problem in their home state, Ebonyi.

The leader of the protesters,  Mr. Leonard Igboke,  speaking on behalf of others, said Ebonyi youths will not support the impeachment of  Governor Elechi, and declared their support for the governor.

The group of 9 lawmakers in the State House of Assembly who are in support of Governor Elechi, at a press briefing on Monday titled ‘Before Lawlessness Overtakes the Land’, stated that they are behind Elechi.

They said the state House of Assembly which has 24 members needs two third majority, which is 16 members, before they can impeach the governor.

The impeachment notice which was signed by 15 members, the group of 9 maintained, does not have constitutional requirement to initiate the impeachment process.

Earlier, the House under the leadership of Hon. Chukwuma Nwanzuku had declared the seats of 6 lawmakers vacant for defecting from PDP to Labour Party, though the affected lawmakers maintained that the matter was already in court before the house took the decision, and described the move as illegal.

The group of 9 also vowed to boycott sitting to protect their lives.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Ike,  says the government is yet to be served the impeachment notice, neither has the chief judge set up a panel to probe the allegations against the governor.

The House had accused Governor Elechi of  appointing 13 LGA caretaker chairmen and 28 Development Centre Coordinators without the approval of the House.

The House also accused the governor of appointing some members of boards, agencies and companies without its approval; obtaining a loan of N3 billion on behalf of the state without House approval; obtaining another loan of N6 billion from a commercial bank without the House’s approval; inflation of contract awarded to Labour Party gubernatorial flag bearer; and setting up of cement company with the governor’s son and other cronies as shareholders.

Though these allegations are yet to be refuted by the state government, tension has continued to mount daily as elections approach.

Efforts to reconcile the governor and his deputy have failed as the governor directed his cabinet, supporters and loyalists to defect to Labour Party, a development that produced Arch. Edward Nkwegu as the gubernatorial standard bearer of Labour Party.

Elechi later sacked the Development Centre Coordinators that were loyal to the deputy.

However, the federal high court sacked the 13 LGA chairmen over the use of option A4 instead of open secret balloting, to elect them.

The group of 9 lawmakers close to Governor Elechi had removed the Speaker, Hon. Chukwuma Nwanzuku, and installed Hon. Blaise Orji as the Speaker.

An Ebonyi state high court sitting in Abakaliki later upturned the impeachment and restored Nwanzuku back to his seat.

The fear of losing to government-backed Labour Party brought about the impeachment plot against the governor as Labour Party continues to wax stronger.

Briefing newsmen at Exco Chambers, Government House Abakaliki last Friday,  Governor Elechi accused the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, PDP Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh and Uche Secondus as the masterminds of the impeachment plot.

Meanwhile, as plans to cripple Governor Elechi’s government continue, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has frozen the accounts of the local governments in the state.

Also, the anti-graft agency routinely invites the state’s accountant general, commissioner for finance, commissioner for local government and other top government officials to Abuja for questioning.