David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State has urged the state House of Assembly to immediately commence impeachment process on the state Governor Willie Obiano allegedly for violating parts of Nigeria Constitution.
In a meetings of the party monday, the state Chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi, said Obiano had violated parts of the constitution of the country by proceeding on vacation for more than 30 days without transmitting any letter to the state assembly to notify it of his absence.
“We have written to the police, DSS and other security agencies in the country to let them know that the governor is acting illegally.
“We have duly notified the state House of Assembly in a separate letter and we are calling the members to immediately commence impeachment proceedings on the governor because the areas he violated the constitution are very clear,” Emeakayi said.
He stated that Obiano had on February 5 at the peak of the yuletide travelled to the United States without transmitting a letter to the state assembly, and also exceeded, the 30 days provided by the constitution, and as such not fit to continue with the task upon return.
Emeakayi added that there was plan by the governor to appoint transition committee chairmen into the local government councils, instead of holding an election as the tenure of the previous elected officials had elapsed; this he said, was against the constitution too.
Reacting to this, the Senior Special Assistant to Obiano on Media Strategy and Legislative Matters, Prince Oliver Okpala, said the allegations were laughable because the person making the allegation has a case of locus standi in law to decide if he is a fit and proper person to speak on behalf of the PDP as it chairman in the state or not.
He said: “Judging from the recent political developments in his party, he is not fit and proper to speak or write any letter to the state assembly as state chairman of the party. Which side of the party does he belong to; the Ahmed Markafi faction or the Ali Modu Sheriff faction?
“Until these legal issues are resolved, the position and authenticity of the allegations you are quoting may not attract the attention of any legitimate organ of government,” Okpala said.
In the meeting which was aimed at restrategising for the PDP to take back the state the party chairman urged members of the party to stand up and take what belongs to them, contending that Anambra was a PDP state, and that it has remained so, save for the connivance of the national echelon of the party as previously constituted, which sold the franchise of the party to former Governor Peter Obi.
Emeakayi said Obi, even though was not a member of the party, controlled its structure in Anambra because of the leverage given him by the party’s national body.
“Now that Obi has returned to the PDP, the party’s franchise which APGA had been using to win election in the state has been returned to PDP, and that the party is more strengthened now than ever to take back the state from APGA, which has been leading the state on borrowed time.
“Anambra people are no longer happy with the APGA governor, and I hear them yearning for change. So the state will return to PDP this year. We only call on the traditional rulers, the bishops and others clergy to play the role of father, rather than disrupt the wishes of the people,” he said.
THISDAY reports that the meeting was attended by a large number of crowd, giving credence to Emeakayi’s claims that the party still remained the most popular in the state, despite the recent defections by some of its members to APC.
