It is no longer news that former Speaker Martins Azubuike was removed by his colleagues yesterday for sundry reasons adduced in the course of the impeachment proceedings. What many do not know is that the events of yesterday was the 3rd attempt to move against him by his colleagues across party lines.
What I still find strange is that since the last rumored attempt in August 2016 the former Speaker apparently failed to move to pacify his colleagues and unify the house substantially.
The news today from the house is that the man elected to replace him just yesterday resigned today, citing “personal reasons and need to move the house and state forward”. Ordinarily that should be enough but in a country where people prefer to believe conspiracies churned out to feed the gullible public, permit me to share an informed guess as to what really may have necessitated today’s events.
Abia is a state that is serious with equitable distribution of power. The current Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, is largely a product of Abia charter of equity. Contrary to what many know, the same charter effectively defined how other high offices are to be shared to avoid exclusion and domination of any constituent group.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has championed the cause of equity in the state and adopted it as a guiding principle in power distribution in the state.
What role did equity play in the unfolding drama at the house of assembly?
While I cannot speak authoritatively on the affairs of the legislature I can hazard a guess based on private conversations with stakeholders.
The election of Hon Kennedy Njoku of Osisioma effectively ensured that 3 top political positions are in the hands of Abians from the same federal constituency: Osisioma/Obingwa/Ugwunagbo federal constituency. The Governor, Senator Abaribe and Speaker Njoku are all from that constituency alongside Federal Representative Solomon Adaelu. In the not so distant past that is exactly the same area called Obioma Ngwa LGA.
If the speakership remained at Osisioma that will mean that the Isiala Ngwa axis of Abia central is left with nothing.
Equity demanded that legislators act to restore balance by voting in someone from Isiala Ngwa axis to occupy the 3rd highest political position in the state. Governor Ikpeazu is from Abia South senatorial zone (Which includes Obingwa, Aba, Ugwunagbo etc) his Deputy, Rt Hon Sir Udo Oko Chukwu is from Abia North (Arochukwu/Ohafia) and the Speaker should come from Abia central that includes Umuahia (north, south and Ikwuano), Isiala Ngwa (north and South) and Osisioma.
I believe it was this consideration of equity that compelled Hon Kennedy to voluntarily resign and also led to the unanimous vote by the house for Chikwendu Kanu of Isiala Ngwa South with ZERO dissent. All members of the house, including those elected on APGA’s ticket voted for Honorable Chikwendu without exception.
If you understand the above, you will ignore rumor merchants who want you to believe that money changed hands or that a plot is in the offing.
It is interesting that those alleging a plot against the Governor are the same folks who never spend a day without finding what to accuse the governor of. They are even mostly the hirelings of those desperately in court to sack the governor.
Why then are they crying more than the supposed bereaved? If there is a threat to the Governor from any quarters his aides and true supporters should be the ones shouting. Not agents of desperadoes.
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