POLITICS

Abia PDP Lawmakers Serve House Legal Pre-action Notice.

Published

10 months ago

July 10, 2023

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the Abia State House of Assembly have served the House a three-month legal pre-action notice to protest its claim of having been denied offices as the majority in the House.

Speaker of the 24-member 8th Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, had penultimate Friday announced the appointment of Uchenna Okoro of the Labour Party (LP) which has 10 members as the majority leaders.

Other LP appointments were Destiny Akaraka and Emeka Obioma as the deputy majority leader and chief whip, respectively, and Iheanacho Wogu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) as the deputy chief whip.

In a letter signed by Igwe Ogwo as their counsel addressed to the clerk of the House, which was sighted by a correspondent in Umuahia, the state capital, the 11 legislators faulted the appointment.

They said their party, by being in the majority by 11 members against LP, YPP and All Progressives Congress (APC)’s 10, two and one, respectively, should be allowed to nominate the officers.

The letter said the appointment was in breach and violation of Order 8, Rule 42(1), 43(1), and 45(1) of the Harmonized Standing Orders (Rules of the Abia State House of Assembly) and “an affront to our democratic tenets, spirit and the law”.

They further maintained that failure, refusal or neglect to comply with the notice, they would be left with no alternative than to approach the court to interpret provisions.

Recall that penultimate Saturday, LEADERSHIP Weekend, had reported that the 8th Assembly had adjourned the previous day amidst a rift following the speaker’s announcement of the remaining principal officers.

Last Monday, during plenary, the aggrieved legislators led by Solomon Akpulonu, a ranking member, staged a walkout in continuation of the protest even as commissioner-nominees were being screened.

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