I remain speaker of Enugu Assembly, Odoh insists

The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odoh, has insisted that he is the leader of the legislative body, despite his removal by a faction that opposed the plot to impeach the state governor, Sullivan Chime.

The member representing Nsukka East constituency, Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, was elected Speaker by about seven lawmakers after Odoh and his group moved to impeach the governor.

The impeachment plot was stalled after the governor-elect, a member of the House of Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, intervened in the matter. However, the Peoples Democratic Party leadership in the state had congratulated Nwamba on his “emergence” as the Speaker.

Also, Nwamba and his faction, comprising of nine legislators, were received by Chime at the government house on Thursday.

Reacting to these developments in an encounter with journalists, Odoh said he remained the Speaker of the House.

He accused Chime of championing illegality in the state.

Odoh described the purported presentation of the ‘new Speaker’ to the State PDP leadership and the governor as a charade and an exercise in futility.

He stressed that he still has the support and loyalty of majority of the members of the legislative body and therefore remains the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly.

Odoh said it was unfortunate that the party chairman, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, had to congratulate a ‘Speaker’ that was elected by only seven out of 24 members of the House.

He said, “To crown it all, the father of the state, who is the governor (Chime), syndicated the presentation of a Speaker that was elected unlawfully.”

I remain speaker of Enugu Assembly, Odoh insists