Enugu Lawmakers Declare War On Chime, Order Arrest Of State Accountant General

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Wednesday, April 15th, 2015

*Upturn Land Allocations

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu – The seemingly ongoing political war between Governor Sullivan Chime and Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly on Wednesday took a new twist, as the lawmakers ordered the arrest of the state Accountant- General, Basil Okolie.

African Examiner reports that the House had on Tuesday during its plenary session, suspended one of their member and close ally of Chime Hon. Johnbull Nwagu, representing Udi North state constituency for defending the governor at the floor of the House.

The Accountant General was accused by the lawmakers of neglecting to answer their summon to explain why the legislative arm should not get their overhead for the legislative function.

The House therefore, empowered the Commissioner of Police Enugu State, Dan Bature to a issue warrant of arrest on Mr. Okolie so as to compel him to appear before them during their next sitting on Tuesday April 21,2015.

Moving a motion for the arrest of the Accountant General, Hon. SKE Ude-Okoye representing Awgu North submitted that Mr. Okolie has refused to appear before them “and for this reason they had to exercise their constitutional power to compel him to appear before it”.

Angry Ude-Okoye said: “he has continuously failed to obey our call to answer the House.

“Every time he says that he is sick but we learnt that he is in his office. This is the third time.

“He wants to show the whole world that the House of Assembly has no powers. He wants to turn us like “akara” bean cake.

“If we don’t use our powers, I don’t think we will get the desired result.”

When the speaker, Hon. Eugene Odo put the motion to vote, all the members present voted in favour of the warrant of arrest.

Besides, the lawmakers, had during the Tuesday’s plenary, also ordered the suspension of the development of all lands allocated to individuals by governor Chime at the international conference centre, located at the three arms zone, adjacent to the Assembly complex.

Apart from the above-mentioned decisions against the governor, the aggrieved legislators equally stopped the planned concessioning of the state water corporation to a private company, AG-Gold Trust by Chime.

The House insisted that the privatization of the water corporation was unacceptable to it and the people of the state, adding that the action did not pass through due process, such as public bidding.

It therefore warned the firm to steer clear of any take over deal, or be ready to face its consequence soon.

However, Hon. Nwagu who was the House committee chairman for finance and appropriation before his indefinite suspension was alleged to have told one of his colleagues that they would not get their overhead for failing to approve the over N11 billion loan presented to them by the out-going governor, Chime.