If anybody had told me that Comrade Sir Kelechi Mejuobi (longest serving Chief Press Secretary to Imo Speaker, 2007–2011) would criticize and attack the Speaker Of Imo State House Of Assembly and make unguarded statements against the legislative arm of Government, I would not have believed. This is because the Emeritus CPS has before now shown positive interest in this arm of Government through which democracy revolves.
For the record, Kelechi Mejuobi handed over to me as CPS in 2011, and since then, we have worked closely for the progress and development of our dear state, Imo. His attack on the Vibrant, Proactive And Ebullient Speaker Of Imo State House Of Assembly therefore shocked me. Nevertheless, the attack lacked both inductive and deductive reasoning. It also lacked symbolic logic and argument. Perhaps, it may have Pedestrian value, which is worthless after a proper scrutiny. But because the reading public may be lured Into believing the contents of the article written by the Emeritus CPS, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, I have stepped in to set the record straight.
In his article entitled BEFORE IMO SPEAKER, KENNEDY IBEH PLAYS GOD, published in his TRUMPETA NEWSPAPER edition of Thursday 14/04/2022, back page, Sir Mejuobi among other things accused the Speaker Of IMHA, Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh of the following
*1. The only Speaker of IMHA who has sacked two House members and their seats declared vacant.
*2. He accused the Speaker of suspending 7 House members out of 27.
*3. He accused the Speaker of being on vendetta mission.
*4. He accused the Speaker of applying “Harsh and Reprehensible” action in the sack of Honourables Tochi Okereke and Obinna Okwara of Ngor-Okpala and Nkwerre State Constituencies respectively.
*5. He accused the Speaker of Jumping from one Political Party to another.
It is very unfortunate that those bent on destabilizing the state have refused to give up their evil plans, otherwise one never imagined that Comrade Kelechi Mejuobi could, perhaps, allow himself to be used to make the above allegations, even when it is clear to every discerning mind that the Imo State House Of Assembly is now on one solid page, with our Lawmakers carrying out the assignments of Lawmaking, Oversight and Appropriation, for which they were elected
In the first place, Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, as an experienced, tested and trusted legislator, understands his responsibilities as Speaker, which include the following……
1. To protect the IMHA and guard it against public ridicule.
2. To humbly lead his Able and Distinguished Colleagues into making people oriented laws for the good of the State.
3. To bring legislative sanity and stability in the Imo State House Of Assembly.
4. To ensure there is Separation of Power, and working harmoniously with other Arms of Government to bring consolidated development in the State.
5. And so on and so forth.
It is therefore in the light of the above that the Rt Honourable Speaker, Barrister Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, set out to achieve the kind of Legislature Ndimo would be proud of.
Ngor-Okpala State Constituency had remained without an active representation for almost two years. Its former legislator, Tochi Okereke, had absconded from his legislative responsibility, for no Cogent And Verifiable reason. Available record showed that he attended Sitting for only 29 times in 2019. In 2020, he attended Sitting for only 14 times. In 2021, he completely failed to Sit at Plenary or even show up, and had failed to show satisfactorily, reason for his absenteeism. It was therefore in a bid to rescue Ngor-Okpala State Constituency from the stranglehold of non-representation at the Imo State House Of Assembly that Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh applied his powers as provided in the Constitution to save Ngor-Okpala State Constituency. Today, there is a New Face for Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, in the person of Hon Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, who regularly attends plenary, making his contribution through Motions and Co-sponsoring Bills, and bringing his Oversight Responsibilities to his people, through massive road construction and rehabilitation, and electricity distribution in Ngor-Okpala. All these wouldn’t have been possible if Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh had applied “Ogbasaram Attitude” (E No Concern Me Attitude) in the absenteeism behavior of deposed Tochi Okereke. The People of Ngor-Okpala State Constituency should be grateful to Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh.
On the sack of Hon Barrister Obinna Okwara, who represented Nkwerre State Constituency,, the Provisions of Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended Empowered the Rt Honourable Speaker to declare the SEAT VACANT, based on the issue of defection to another political party. It should be noted that the Rt Honourable Speaker did not act in a vacuum in declaring the Seat Vacant. A Motion was moved by a lawmaker, and it was seconded by another Lawmaker. It was deliberated upon. Evidences were provided to show that Hon Barrister Obinna Okwara actually defected to another political party, without any cogent and justifiable reason, and indeed, without informing the House ; thereby going against the House Rules. Even at that, the Vibrant Speaker took out time to read the relevant portions of the Constitution and House Rules, and when it was put to vote, over 95% of Honourable members gave nod to the Constitutional provision, with the overwhelming shout of Isssssssssssss, which prompted the Speaker to declare the SEAT VACANT. The Rt Honourable Speaker evidently followed legislative procedures before hitting the gavel. He never contravened any law. If Speaker Kennedy Ibeh had acted otherwise, perhaps, to protect Obinna Okwara, who is also his very close friend, he would have committed an unparliamentary conduct, which would have earned him Impeachment. Speaker Ibeh whose hands are tied by the law, is bound to obey the law and indeed, protect the Constitution and House Rules.
It is therefore very wrong for Sir Kelechi Mejuobi to falsely accuse the People’s Speaker of applying “Harsh and Reprehensible” action in the sack of Honourables Tochi Okereke and Obinna Okwara. The Constitution did. The House Rules did. Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh merely obeyed the law by protecting the Constitution and House Rules.
Again, as if being led by a false Spirit, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi, who is also the Co-publisher of TRUMPETA NEWSPAPER, falsely accused Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh of suspending 7 House Members out of 27. This is a fat lie dressed in Blackmail robe, and aimed at instigating Distinguished Honourable Members against the ever loving, caring, accommodating and God fearing speaker, Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh.
Therefore, setting the records straight; Rt Hon. Kennedy Ibeh inherited three (3) suspended members, Paul Emeziem, Okey Onyekamma and Ekene Nnodumele. They were already on suspension before Rt Hon. Ibeh was sworn in as Speaker. The other three (3) Ngozi Obiefule, Obinna Okwara and Arthur Egwim ; from the tone of the apology letter sent to the House upon which the Speaker swiftly returned them to the service of the House, shows their clear admission of guilt over the reasons for their suspension.
In other not to give a fertile ground for Kelechi Mejuobi’s falsehood to germinate and grow, let me inform the public that immediately after his emergence as Speaker, Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh set in motion a module of reconciliation and unity among his Distinguished Honourable colleagues, who are now in one accord with the leadership of the House. It should be noted that the remaining two members on suspension, are on the road to rejoin their colleagues. Therefore, it is very wrong for Kelechi Mejuobi to falsely accuse Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh of being on vendetta mission against his colleagues, who few days ago passed Vote Of Implicit and Explicit Confidence on.
Finally, On Defections; The circumstances that led to alleged movements from one Party to another are consequential. Though Kennedy Ibeh ran the 2019 elections under AA Party, everyone in Imo State knows that AA was a conjecture of the then Governor to have his preferred candidate succeed him as Governor. Most of the Honourable Members of the Assembly then, including the current Speaker won the APC primaries, but were denied tickets owing to some National power play at the time. The AA Party suspended Kennedy Ibeh for reportedly not working for it’s Guber candidate in his Obowo constituency, during the general election, and since it not possible to Politick and play Politics in a vacuum, Rt Honourable Kennedy Ibeh announced intention to support the Government at the time which was PDP, but NEVER FORMALIZED membership (his intention and move to formalize his movement to PDP was truncated by the Supreme Court judgement that ousted the PDP led Government on the 14th of January 2020. The notice is circulated by detractors on social media who are not deep enough to understand the meaning of what they are circulating). Rt Honourable Ibeh eventually ported into APC with an absolute resolve to support Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, his Governor, thereby returning to his original Party, through which he represented his people of Obowo in the House of Assembly from 2015 to 2019.
The blunt truth be told ; there is hardly any politician in Imo that has been in one Party from the beginning of his career till date, except for those who have so benefitted from a particular Party, whether in or out of office that they can’t leave their kingdom. Let us check the records ; Compared to others who have defected, and also the circumstance of their defection, Hon Barrister Obinna Okwara’s style of defection smirks of confrontation on the system than tactful pursuit of his career. He is my own brother, and I am bound to defend him, but he rather made his move one of mockery on the State, flaunting his action on Social Media and Print Media. Again, He was careless of the position of the law on evidence.. Unlike other detectors , Obinna Okwara carelessly provided adequate evidence and the needed constitutional rope to hang him. It was more suicidal than strategic.
Moving forward therefore, Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, as a God. Fearing Legislator cannot play God. Rather, as a Tongue Speaking Man Of God, he has sort the Spirit of God to assist him in bringing Legislative Responsibility And Sanity to the Imo State House Of Assembly, and he has achieved that. The truth is : following the Speaker, you will see a very humble, simple and very friendly personality who however knows how to separate business from pleasures. He is quoted to have said “institutions are not built by sentiments”. Hence, his friends get ready for business once Ibeh is set to work, knowing he has no friend when it comes to growing the legislature.
I will therefore continue to Pray to Almighty God to Open the Minds and ❤️ Hearts of the Opposition to See and Appreciate the well applauded leadership of Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, Nke Nke Enyi N’Achi Igwe Enyi, the Vibrant, Proactive And Ebullient Speaker of Imo State House Of Assembly.
To Sir Kelechi Mejuobi : although Opposition Is The Beauty Of Democracy, I appeal to him to match his Break of Criticisms and come closer, to understudy this emerging Political Phenomenon, Rt Honourable Kennedy Chidozie Ibeh, who selflessly donated his salary to the youth leaders of Okigwe Zone, and who is tirelessly working round the clock to ensure that the purpose driven leadership of His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodinma continue to deliver Dividends of Democracy to the People of Imo State, through Lawmaking, Oversight and Appropriation.
I Rest My Pen.
Citizen Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha
#TeamSpeaker
18/04/2022