The Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Honourable Emmanuel Emeruwa, has suspended the member representing Obingwa East State Constituency, Honourable Solomon Akpulonu, for granting journalists interviews over the affairs of the Assembly.
Emeruwa stated that Akpulonu who is a former Majority Leader of the Assembly has been suspended for 14 sitting for speaking to the journalists on issues concerning the house.
New Telegraph reports that Akpulonu, who is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) recently spoke with journalists, where he explained the genesis of the crisis rocking the Abia legislative house and blamed the Labour Party for trying to upturn the principles of democracy.
Recall that in a recent interview, Akpulonu accused the Labour Party and the Executive arm of the government led by Governor Alex Otti of trying to take the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, even when the Labour Party is not the party with the Majority in the House.
It was gathered that Akpulonu’s accusation later become the truth, as the Speaker announced Honourable Uchenna Okoro of the Labour Party, as the Majority Leader of the House, when statistics shows that the PDP has 11 members, Labour Party had 10, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) has two (2) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has one (1).
The PDP has been staging walkouts during sittings, protesting that they, the majority party in the House should occupy the majority leader positions and not the other way round.
The PDP lawmakers led by Akpulonu had continued to ask the Speaker to read the letter submitted by the party leadership nominating her members for majority leadership positions.
Announcing the suspension on the floor of the House, the Speaker explained accused Akpulonu of insubordination.
Emeruwa (Speaker) further said that the House cannot tolerate acts of insubordination and further accused Akpulonu of inciting members against the leadership of the Assembly.
The Speaker further stated that it was wrong for the lawmaker to be granting press interviews and revealing all the House has been doing, without proper clearance from the leadership of the House.
He insisted that what is done in the House should ‘remain within the House’.
“Hon. Solomon Akpulonu has been causing chaos in the Assembly since its inauguration. He has been tolerated for too long. As lawmakers, it is normal to disagree as long as it is done with decorum and within the confines of the law.”
The Speaker further stated that the suspension will be communicated to Akpulonu who was absent at the sitting.
Reacting to Akpulonu’s suspension, a political analyst, Comrade Elijah Dike described it as the worst thing that has ever happened to democracy since 1999.
“When has it become a crime to speak to journalists on a controversial issue? Is the Abia State House of Assembly now a secret court? Why is the Speaker declaring war on the media?
“His actions are indirectly telling other members never to say a word to the press. They’re indirectly telling Abia lawmakers to avoid speaking to the press.
“In which democracy is the press not allowed to speak to a legislator? In which democracy must a legislator get clearance from the speaker before he can grant an interview to the press?
“What’s happening in Abia has never happened before and I’m sure no reasonable Abia person will want this to continue. What’s democracy without journalism?
“What’s happening in this state? Somebody should tell these people that they’re in a democracy. If they need a military rule, let them look for those countries where it’s still practicable not here.”
Comrade Ikechukwu Elekwachi called on the leadership of the Labour Party to call the Speaker and other of their party members in charge of the leadership of Abia State House of Assembly to order, stressing that suspending a lawmaker for making his point in the media is anti-democracy.
“What should Akpulonu have done? Should he have resorted to violence? Things were happening and journalists asked him, he explained to them as a lawmaker, is that a crime?
“So, nobody is allowed to talk to the press again in Abia simply because those who don’t know what politics is are now in charge? This is wrong.
“I must warn that anybody who’s indirectly declaring war on the press is on the path of trouble. Somebody should call them to order before it’s too late.”
New Telegraph