Police deny locking up House of Assembly

dimeji akinloye

May 16, 2015 11:59 PM

The state House of Assembly has been locked since 14 lawmakers moved to impeach Governor Sullivan Chime on May 3.

The state House of Assembly has been locked since 14 lawmakers moved to impeach Governor Sullivan Chime on May 3.

This development birthed a crisis as about seven lawmakers against the impeachment plots, ‘removed’ the Speaker, Eugene Odoh, and elected Chinedu Nwamba as replacement.

Odoh and Nwamba are both claiming to the office of the Speaker, but none of the has held plenary in the House due to the lockdown.

However, in an ex parte application by Odoh, an Enugu Federal High Court ordered the police to reopen the Assembly to enable the lawmakers to gain access to the chambers in order to carry out their duties.

One week after the court gave the order, the House of Assembly is still locked up and a team of riot policemen are said to be stationed at the entrance gate of the House.

This necessitated the court to threaten to commit the Police IG, Solomon Arase, to jail for contempt of court.

Arase is also a defendant in the suit filed by the Speaker.

The State Police Command spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, has however said that the police is not in possession of the keys of the padlocks used to lock the complex.

dimeji akinloye

Enhance Your Pulse News Experience!

Get rewards worth up to $20 when selected to participate in our exclusive focus group. Your input will help us to make informed decisions that align with your needs and preferences.

I've got feedback!