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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Uba�s men lose seats in Anambra Assembly CHUKWUJEKWU ILOZUE, Awka Impeached Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Eucharia Azodo and the member representing Nnewi South II state constituency, Mr. Nelson Achukwu, have lost their seats in the state House of Assembly for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional sitting requirements of the House. Azodo and Achukwu are supporters of Chief Chris Uba, Governor Chris Ngige�s estranged godfather. Both of them are still on suspension from the House, after their alleged failure to purge themselves of what their colleagues called "dishonourable conduct." Azodo, as Speaker had last year upheld Ngige�s purported resignation. An Enugu High Court judge, Justice Stanley Nnaji, who issued the order on the strength of Achukwu�s application for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights, has since been suspended onthe advice of the National Judicial Council (NJC). When the House resumed sitting on Tuesday, the Speaker, Mr. Mike Balonwu, drew members� attention to the continued absence of Azodo and Achukwu. Balonwu said he had been informed by the Clerk that the duo were no longer qualified to be members as they had failed to fulfil the constitutional provision of attending at least two-thirds of the sittings of the House in a year. Following the observation, the Majority Leader,Mr. Humphrey Nsofor, moved a motion for the declaration of their seats vacant. Nsofor argued that given the provision of section 169, paragraph F (3) of the Constitution which stipulates the mandatory attendance of two-thirds sitting of the House, the members have lost their seats. Five other members, Mr. Ben Nwosu (Nnewi North), Deputy Speaker, Mr. Ozo Ughamadu, Mr. Okechi Echezona (Orumba South), Peter Onuorah (Ayamelu) and Mr. Vitalis Okafor (Ihiala II) state constituencies, all supported the motion. They regretted that by their consistent absence, the constituencies of the said members have suffered lack of representation in the House. They also regretted that though the members had the opportunity to purge themselves, they never bothered to do so and so the will of the nation�s constitution has to be fulfilled. Worst still, they lamented that the said members were collecting their allowances though they did not attend the sittings of the House. Based on these arguments, Balonwu ruled that the members had lost their seats and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election to fill the vacant seats as soon as possible. |
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