Umahi sets up committee to probe LG boss, Assembly member clash

The Ebonyi State Government has condemned the action of Ohaukwu Council Chairman, Clement Odah, for allegedly invading the State House of Assembly and engaging a lawmaker in fisticuff.
Odah, who allegedly slapped a representative of Ohaukwu South State Constituency in the House, Chinedu Onah, during an altercation on Wednesday, had continued to deny the allegation.
Two opposing groups had on Thursday taken protests to both the Assembly complex at Nkaliki and the Government House, Abakaliki, the State capital.
While one group protested in condemnation of the Chairman’s action, the other protested in defence of the Chairman.
Worried by the development, the State Government on Friday set up a seven-man Committee to look into the immediate and remote causes of the imbroglio with a view to stemming its escalation.
Inaugurating the Committee chaired by Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, who is also the Chairman, Ebonyi State Elders Council, Governor Umahi frowned at the unwarranted intrusion of the Council Boss into the affairs of the hallowed chambers.
Describing Odah’s infringement as a desecration of the dignified chambers, he noted that the sensitivity of the matter warranted the inauguration of a neutral body to look into the matter, even as the Assembly has the right to carry out their constitutional procedures.
Umahi warned all politicians to desist from actions that could put the relationship between the three arms of government in the State in jeopardy, stressing that the level of development so far achieved in his administration was attributable to the harmonious relationship between the arms.
Umahi said: “Let me condemn very seriously the behaviour of the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government in going to the State House of Assembly….
“Going there in the first place…
“I don’t want to talk about what happened.
“Going there is very, very wrong.
“Imagine if a House of Assembly member goes to the office of a Commissioner to quarrel, not to talk of the hallowed chambers of the House of Assembly.
“Everywhere in the world, the parliament chamber is always a very sacred place that people don’t desecrate.
“That’s why we have set up a neutral body, people that are not from Exco and the House of Assembly to investigate what happened end refer back to me.
“Yes there are three arms of government: the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary,  but the Governor remains the head of government.
“So when there is trouble between the other arms, the Governor must step in, as the head of government, to find solution to it.
“So I want the House, the public to be patient.
“Let’s get to the root of the matter and we will handle it as it should be.
“In selecting the members of this committee, I consulted with the Speaker.”
The Committee has a former Head of Service, Dominic Aja, as Secretary.
Members include Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, Fidelia Nwankwo, Godwin Ogbaga and Chief Hyacinth Ikpor.