An
Enugu Federal High Court on Monday ordered the police to reopen the
Enugu State House of Assembly complex, which has been under locks since
some lawmakers moved to impeach Governor Sullivan Chime.
The
House was thrown into crisis after the development, as about seven
lawmakers, who were opposed to the planned impeachment, suspended the
Speaker, Eugene Odoh, and elected Chinedu Nwamba in his place.
But
Odoh is insisting that he is still in charge of the legislative body,
even though the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state,
had already congratulated Nwamba on his emergence as the Speaker.
Nwamba
was also received by Chime at the Government House, a development which
prompted Odoh to accuse governor of promoting illegality.
Odoh had headed for the court to challenge the development, including the closure of the state assembly by the police.
In
an interim order made in the suit on Monday, the court presided over by
Justice Dorcas Agishi, ordered the police to reopen the assembly.
The team of policemen deployed at the gate were equally ordered to leave.
Also, the court granted an order guaranteeing the personal liberty of the speaker.
The police was restrained from curtailing his personal liberty.
The
court also ordered that the speaker and the other 14 pro-impeachment
lawmakers should be allowed access to the legislative complex,
particularly the chambers, to conduct their businesses.
The
suit was filed by Odoh, on behalf of himself and the ‘pro-impeachment’
lawmakers, by his counsel, Chuma Oguejiofor, against Nwamba and other
members of the House, as well as the police.
The impeachment
plot was stalled after the governor-elect, a member of the House of
Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, intervened in the matter. There are
indications that the Odoh-led faction would have pressed ahead with the
plan to remove the governor, if not for the closure of the Assembly by
the police.
Credit: Ihuoma Chiedozie/Punch
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