Abia speaker denies agreement with gov on deputy

Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Agwu Agwu, has said that there was no promise or agreement between the Assembly and Governor Theodore Orji to pick the next deputy governor from among the 24-member Assembly.

Speaking with journalists at the Assembly complex in Umuahia, on Tuesday, the speaker said the choice of the deputy governor was at the governor’s discretion and that the governor picked whoever he wished.

On the background of media reports that the lawmakers were not happy with Governor Orji for not picking his new deputy governor from among the members, as part of alleged agreement before former deputy governor, Chris Akomas, was impeached, the speaker said Governor Orji had no hand in the impeachment process.

The speaker, who also said that he had not received the former deputy governor’s resignation letter that was allegedly sent to his house, added that the impeachment was entirely that of the Assembly.

He also said that no member of the Assembly was suspended over non-participation in the impeachment process, adding that the suspended lawmaker, Honourable Sunday Okoro, of the Aba-South state constituency, was being investigated by the Assembly on a different allegation.