Abakaliki – Ebonyi State House of Assembly has declared vacant the Onicha East State Constituency seat occupied by the Deputy Speaker, Odefa Obasi Odefa.
This followed a resignation letter purportedly written by Mr. Odefa which was read by the Speaker, Hon. Francis Nwifuru, during plenary on Monday. Mr. Nwifuru after reading the purported resignation letter of Mr. Odefa, declared his seat vacant.
The speaker also read two other letters purportedly written by Hon. Oliver Osi representing Ivo State Constituency and Hon. Lilian Ezilo representing Afikpo North East State Constituency, notifying the House that they had defected to the APC.
The two lawmakers, who are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were not present during plenary, and Mr. Osi when contacted said he never authored any letter.
Following the declaration of Mr. Odefa’s seat vacant, the 15 APC lawmakers, elected the member representing Afikpo North West Constituency, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro, as the new Deputy Speaker, following a motion moved by the member representing Ohaozara West Constituency, Hon. Onu Nwoye, and seconded by Hon. Anthony Nwegede of Izzi East Constituency.
The member representing Ohaozara West Constituency, Hon. Onu Nwonye, was named the Deputy Leader following a letter from the leadership of the APC in the state.
Ikoro, who was Deputy Leader of the Assembly before his election by the 15 lawmakers, in an interview with journalists said, “It is an opportunity to serve.
Politics is all about the people because the mandate you are holding is the mandate of the people; you are just trustee of the people’s mandate.
So, any opportunity to serve the people is highly welcome.” Odefa had on Saturday reaffirmed his membership of the PDP in a press briefing he held in his Abakaliki residence.
Reacting to declaration of his seat vacant, Mr. Odefa, who was flanked by some of his colleagues of the PDP, said he did not author any letter of resignation as a member of the state House of Assembly and vowed to sue the speaker for what he described as forgery.
He maintained that he is still the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, describing his removal as waste of time, null and void.
“One thing they don’t know is that no member of the House of Assembly has immunity. In the constitution of this country, only the president, vice president, governor, deputy governor have immunity.
No other person has immunity,” he said. Odefa further alleged threats to his life, his family members, and political associates by agents of Ebonyi State government.
