The last is yet to be heard on the political crisis in Enugu State as some residents of the state have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration.

This is coming after a pro-Chime group had chided the Enugu lawmakers for initiating impeachment moves against the Governor.

However, another group equally took to the streets protesting against the move by another faction to remove the Speaker, Hon. Eugene Odo from office.

The protesters urged the Speaker and members of the State Assembly to save the state from further plundering of the state’s resources by the outgoing government of Sullivan Chime just as they declared their support for the impeachment process initiated against the governor.

The protesters were armed with placards some of which read “N11 billion loan in less than one month to go is fraudulent”, “Sullivan Chime must go”, “Eugene Odo remains our Speaker”, “Enugu International Conference Centre has been sold for N7.3 billion”, “Thank you Eugene Odo for saving Enugu State from the hands of Chime” and “EFCC probe Enugu Governor now”.

Singing solidarity songs for the Speaker, Mr. Odo, the protesters who were not allowed to march into the Assembly Complex by the police, later addressed newsmen at Okpara Square.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, a legal practitioner, Bar. Chijioke Ezeugwu said that the speaker had distinguished himself since he came on board, recalling that he stabilized the state during the long absence of the governor on account of ill-health.

He said that it was unfortunate that the compensation the governor wanted to give to the speaker for his loyalty was to impeach him simply for resisting the unlawful actions taken by the executive, which have been roundly condemned by the people of the state.

Ezeugwu said: “The speaker has done very well. I could remember vividly during the time the governor was suffering ill-health, he stabilized the government but at the end of the day his payback was purported impeachment by a group of eight lawmakers.

“I regard the impeachment move against the speaker as a mere legislative rascality because those behind it know quite well that they require two-third majority to impeach the speaker. Eight persons cannot just wake up and say they have impeached the speaker.

“Why are they impeaching the speaker for simply standing on the side of the truth by questioning why the outgoing government is selling all the assets of Enugu State when the incoming governor has continuity as his agenda? The outgoing governor produced the incoming governor and his manifesto is not different from that of the outgoing governor.

“Why then are they selling off the government lands without minding its consequences on the future of the state? How can anybody think of selling the land for the International Conference Centre which was started and almost completed by Chimaroke Nnamani administration to private developers? What for?

“We want to restate that Speaker Eugene Odo has not done anything wrong. The speaker has not breached the constitution by questioning the unlawful actions recently taken by the executive and we will resist any attempt by anybody to remove him as the speaker of Enugu Assembly.”

Also speaking on the impeachment saga in the state, an Enugu-based Lawyer and Public Affairs Analyst, Mr. Vincent Obeta said it was very unfortunate that the fate of about three million Enugu State indigenes was hanging on the balance owing to the horse-trading between the legislature and the executive.
He blamed the current faceoff between the legislature and executive on the newspaper advertorial signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor alleging that the speaker was venting his grievance on the ground that he was denied the governorship ticket, “which is neither here nor there.”

Obeta said: “What is important in this case are the facts presented. In my opinion these issues the lawmakers have raised against the governor should be addressed. When I saw the group of youths protesting I came down and they were saying that the loan that the government wants to pick up will affect them drastically especially when the Debt Management Office had released a debt figure that is so mind boggling against Enugu State.

“My own opinion right now is that let the proper thing be done. If whatever the outgoing government is doing is in the interest of the state and government is a continuum, the whole thing shouldn’t be an issue. And I plead to all sides to this controversy to sheath their swords, let us come back. At the national level the PDP is suffering defeat and at the state level we need to put our acts together and see how we can achieve a purpose come 2019″.