Posted by By Sun News Publishing on
There was a row on Thursday at the Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba, as the legislators impeached their Speaker , Young Daniel Igbrude, barely a few minutes into the day's deliberations. A new speaker, Frank Enekorogha, was subsequently elected and sworn-in.
There was a row on Thursday at the Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba, as the legislators impeached their Speaker , Young Daniel Igbrude, barely a few minutes into the day's deliberations. A new speaker, Frank Enekorogha, was subsequently elected and sworn-in.
The House, which resumed sitting on Thursday after about six weeks recess, started the day's business on a good note with Igbrude presiding.
Events, however, took a new turn when he (Igbrude) called for Matters of Urgent Public Importance and Harvest Igben, representing Odu State Constituency, rose to present the impeachment motion which was seconded by Dennis Omovie, representing Warri South 11. The House thus relieved Igbrude of his position for alleged maladministration , greed and running the House like an emperor.
The Speaker, apparently, sensing that something was amiss, tried to adjourn sitting and asked the Sergeant-at-arms to remove the mace. However, Mr. Daniel Mayuku, representing Warri South West, moved fast and prevented the Sergeant -at-arms, Mr. Stephen Ewefade from removing the mace. This led to a scuffle between camps loyal to the Speaker and other members of the House.
At this juncture, Igbrude called on Mr. Harvest Igben, who, brandishing a paper in his hand, stood up to say , "Fellow honourable members, I have the mandate of 22 members of this honourable House to move that Mr Speaker be now impeached, I beg to move."
He went on to read the names of the 22 members out of the 29-man Assembly who signed the impeachment notice.
The motion was overwhelmingly carried. Igbrude was led out of the House by the Sergeant -at-arms.
Efforts by Daily Sun to speak with the impeached Speaker, proved abortive as he drove away from the premises of the Assembly immediately.
Igbrude is the fourth substantive Speaker of the Assembly since it was inaugurated in June 1999.
In his short speech after his swearing-in, which was conducted by the new Clerk of the House, the new Speaker promised to abide by his oath of office and to ensure that the integrity of his colleagues was protected.