Abia Speaker Suspends Plenary Over Dispute on Principal Officers

The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa suspended the plenary session over a dispute on the principal officers of the House on Tuesday.

Trouble started when the Speaker recognized the member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Hon. Uchenna Okoro as the majority leader of the House, an act which was disputed by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Hon. Solomon Akpulonu, the member representing Obingwa East State Constituency raised a point of order and stated that the 8th Assembly does not have a majority leader and urged the Speaker to read a letter written to the House by the leadership of the PDP.

It was gathered that all the members of the PDP stood up and urged the Speaker to read the letter but in a swift turn, the Speaker stated that nobody will tell him how to run the State Assembly and promptly ended the session.

The 8th Assembly has been at loggerheads after the sidelining of the constitution of the Assembly which states that only high-ranking members of the Assembly are eligible for speakership, a rule which was set aside for the emergence of the Speaker who is a first-time member of the House.

With eleven PDP members, ten Labour Party members, two YPP, and one APC member, the PDP ought to produce Principal officers which include Majority Leader, deputy majority leader, Chief whip, and deputy Chief whip.

Source: NaijaDailyng247