Plot to impeach Gov Elechi thickens

…More Assembly members endorse move

FROM JEFF AMECHI AG­BODO, ABAKALIKI

The plot to impeach Gov­ernor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State has thick­ened as the arrowheads have started to secure the endorsement of the plot by members of the House of As­sembly.

Checks by Sunday Sun re­vealed that some lawmakers have signed the impeachment register and were allegedly given N10 million each for the exercise by the sponsors who have interest in politics and business in the state.

A source within the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, who did not want to be named noted that what is still holding the law­makers from carrying on with the impeachment process was the presidency, which is said to be hedging due to President Goodluck Jonathan’s presiden­tial quest.

The source said that presi­dency thinkers said to be weighing the implication of such scheme at the eve of presidential election, in a state that is considered one of Jona­than’s strongholds, especially considering the volatile nature of Ebonyi people.

He also said that the presi­dent was burdened by guilt over the treatment given to Governor Elechi, one of his staunchest supporters, by the national leadership of the party during the November prima­ries of the party.

A lawmaker who doesn’t want his name in print and a staunch supporter of Governor Elechi said that they need at least 16 out of the 24 members to impeach the governor while the Chief Judge would set up committee to look into the al­legation before any impeach­ment. But he was quick to note that the impeachment effort would fail because the plotters would not be able to get the number of members required to remove Elechi.

The move to impeach El­echi is a fall out of the crisis that attended the primaries to elect the party’s gubernato­rial candidate.

This created division in the party leading to support­ers of Governor Elechi mov­ing en mass to Labour Party (LP), even as he remained in PDP with a handful of oth­ers.

 

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