The war of attrition between the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance(APGA) led government in the Imo state and the state’s chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) may have degenerated to the worst, over the delay in swearing in the member elect for Oguta state constituency, Mr. Eugene Dibiagwu.
The PDP has accused the APGA government of undemocratic actions which it said, has climaxed with its refusal to swear in Dibiagwu.
Addressing a press conference in Owerri, the State Secretary of the PDP, Chief George Eguh appealed to the federal government to call to order Governor Rochas Okorocha and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu, to avert what it described as a looming crisis in Imo state.
The party condemned what it called despotic and undemocratic actions of the APGA government in conjunction with members of the state legislature to scuttle the will of the Oguta people by refusing to swear in their representative.
Eguh claimed that Dibiagwu approached the House on August 14, 2012, to be sworn in, but the Speaker refused to swear him in. He said the Speaker later directed the member- elect to appear for the swearing in on August 22, 2012.
According to Eguh, instead of performing the swearing in, the House issued a release signed its Chairman, Committee on Information, Hon. Acho Ihim, stating that the Assembly’s sitting has been deferred to August, 29, 2012.
To the fascist regime in Imo state, it means nothing that a state constituency has been without representation for over 15 months. This era of impunity has indeed come to a head. Things are obviously getting out of hand. The PDP is beginning to wonder whether Imo state is still a part of the country. Is it right for the federal government to look the way when anarchy reigns in one of the states of the federation?†the PDP scribe lamented.
The Media Aide to the Speaker, Mr. Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha could not be reached as at press time.
However, the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the governor, Mr. Ebere Uzoukwa said there is a court injunction restraining the House from swearing in Dibiagwu.
But Eguh insisted that there was no court injunction stopping the swearing in of Dibiagwu. Once elections are concluded and a certificate issued to the winner. It becomes a matter for the tribunal should anybody feel aggrieved, he maintained.
For now, observers of the situation await the 29th August, 2012 when the House is expected to reconvene. Whether Dibiagwu would be sworn on that day remains unclear, but what has been made manifest is that the animosity between the Okorocha administration and the Imo PDP, has worsened.