The Abia State chapter of the All Progressive Grand Alliance has expressed disappointment over the suspension of the Minority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Abraham Oba.
Oba has been replaced by Ikedi Ezekwesiri, representing Umunneochi constituency.
Oba was removed and suspended by the House on Tuesday for addressing a press conference where he claimed that APGA members in the House were deceived by the Speaker, Martins Azubuike, over the details of a N30bn loan which was approved for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to take.
APGA has 11 members while the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has 13 of the 24 members in the House.
The APGA members had, at the briefing, criticised the resolution of the House authorising the state government to secure the loan.
They said that the explanation given by the Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, contradicted the content of the governor’s letter read to the members by the Speaker.
Eight APGA members at the briefing disassociated themselves from the resolution, and demanded an immediate explanation from the governor on the purpose of the loan.
They also warned commercial banks negotiating to grant the loan to be careful until the governor clarified the matter.
Responding to Oba’s removal, the APGA Secretary in the state, Chief Sunday Onukwubiri, said the action of the House was disappointing, but noted that the party was yet to take a position on the development.
He said, “Oba did not commit any crime but he merely informed Abia indigenes about what happened in the House which affect their lives as a people. Do the public not have the right to know what happens in the House ?”
The APGA secretary insisted that due process was not followed on the N30bn loan.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Cosmos Ndukwe, told our correspondent in Umuahia that Oba was suspended for anchoring an abusive press briefing.
He said the action of the former Minority Leader was not right because the House had already approved the resolution, insisting that due process was followed.
Ndukwe alleged that Oba and his collegaues were put under pressure by the governorship candidate of the APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, to organise the press briefing.
Ndukwe further said that members of the House would resist any attempt by anybody to destabilize the state.
He said that the decision to remove Oba was signed and moved by six APGA members in the House.
He claimed that not all APGA members were part of the briefing where Oba made the allegations. He said the APGA members were not united.
When asked for his comments, Oba declined but said all inquiries should be directed to the party’s leadership.
Source:Punch
