Anambra Speakership Saga: Court to decide Uzoezie’s fate on Jan. 23

Anambra Factional Speaker, Ikem Uzoezie

Anambra State House of Assembly factional Speaker, Ikem Uzoezie

A Federal High Court sitting in Awka has fixed Jan. 23, 2019 for the determination of the authentic Speaker of the Anambra House of Assembly.

Factional Speaker of the Assembly, Ikem Uzoezie, who was elected on Nov. 13 had approached the court to stop Mrs Rita Maduagwu from parading herself as speaker having been purportedly impeached.

Also joined in the suit as defendants were Mr Harford Oseke and Police Commissioner in Anambra.

Uzoezie among his reliefs urged the court to declare him Speaker having been overwhelmingly voted by his colleagues.

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Chief Emeka Agbapuownu, counsel to Uzoezie, the plaintiff, urged the court to uphold their prayer and discountenance the defendants’ preliminary objection and counter affidavit.

Agbapuonwu said the defendants were interested in pursuing their preliminary objection as to the jurisdiction of the court rather than addressing the substantive matter.

In his argument, Mr Ken Mozie (SAN), Counsel to Maduagwu, said the suit lacked merit and described the documented pieces of evidence as irrevocably conflicting.

Mozie urged the court to dismiss the suit.

But Justice Bature Gafai in his ruling on Thursday said the case would be decided on Jan. 23.

It will be recalled that the Anambra House of Assembly was embroiled in crisis following the alleged sack of Maduagwu by 26 members of the House.

Ikem Uzoezie was immediately elected but security personnel took over the complex citing a possible breach of public peace.

S-Davies Wande