Members of the Abia State House of Assembly are at daggers drawn with the Deputy Governor of the State, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu following his alleged involvement in assaulting a state lawmaker, Hon Kalu Mba Nwoke.
Nwoke, who represents Ohafia South state constituency, was said to have been assaulted, publicly humiliated, handcuffed and detained at the police station overnight on November 2, 2024 during the Abia Local Government election.
It was further alleged that the Abia number two citizen had even ripped the cloth of the lawmaker during the squabble.
Both the Deputy Governor and the lawmaker involved in the assault saga hail from Ohafia Community and belong to the same ruling Labour Party.
Not wanting to let the matter die down unchallenged, the State Assembly has demanded a public apology from the Deputy Governor, following the adoption of a motion moved by the member representing Ukwa West constituency, Hon Godwin Adiele.
Adiele had drawn the attention of the state lawmakers to the ordeal of Hon Nwoke by moving a motion on a matter of urgent public importance during plenary on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.
He argued that the issue was not about the person of Nwoke, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Environment and Urban Renewal, but the sanctity of the House.
The motion was supported by the member representing Obingwa East state constituency, Hon Solomon Akpulonu, who expressed dismay over the assault on their colleague, saying the three arms of government must respect one another.
The Obingwa East lawmaker, who is the most experienced legislator in the 8th Abia House, urged the legislators to continue to exhibit maturity both in private and public engagements even in the face of provocations.
Speaking with newsmen in Umuahia, Nwoke confirmed the incident, saying that the assault occured on the day of the council poll at the headquarters of Ohafia Local Government.
He said: “The attack was sequel to my demand that the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission’s result sheets should be made available before the commencement of the election”.
However, the Ohafia South lawmaker said that the action taken by the House of Assembly was not wholly about him as a person, but the institution that lawmakers represent and the need to safeguard it from public ridicule.
He said that in line with his Christian principle and as a representative of the people, “I have put everything behind me irrespective of the public humiliation and assault to move forward”.
Hon Nwoke noted that what mattered more to him was to remain focused on giving his constituency quality representation (because)”this is why they elected me and I can’t afford to disappoint them”.