On Wednesday, the six members of the House of Representatives from Ebonyi state urged the Reps to strike out the resolution of the House committee on a public petition against Governor Francis Nwifuru over the arrest and detention of Igboayaka O Igboayaka the Youth Leader of Ohanaeze ndigbo.
They argued that the petition against Governor Francis Nwifuru didn’t follow due process.
Igboayaka was recently arrested in Imo State by the police and taken to Ebonyi State over his comments before and after the attack by suspected gunmen on the Obegu community, Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi, which led to the killings of over 15 members of the community.
He was prosecuted and detained at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre.
As a result of his detention, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ugochinyere Ikenga representing Ideato federal constituency, accused Governor Francis Nwifuru of abducting Igboayaka through a petition against the Governor in the House of Representatives last week.
But the Ebonyi Caucus in the House accused Ikenga of flaunting the ruling of the Speaker of the House on petitions that any member who wishes to do a petition outside his state of jurisdiction must contact his colleagues in the state.
In an application made on the floor of the House on Thursday on behalf of the Ebonyi Caucus, the leader of the Caucus, Hon. Iduma Igariwey said that Ikenga’s petition against Nwifuru was also against section 308(1) and struck away the resolution of the committee on public petition committee and rescind the order of the committee on the petition.
Idu described the petition as incompetent as, according to him, the Governor of Ebonyi state enjoys immunity under section 308(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
“Mr. Speaker, I made this application on behalf of myself and the entire Ebonyi contingent of the House of Representatives of this 10th House.
“Mr Speaker, our privilege has to do with a petition that was presented before this Hon. House just last Thursday on the 6th of March by a member of this House, Hon. Ugochinyere Ikenga
“In that petition, a whole lot of criminal allegations were levelled against the executive Governor of Ebonyi State.
“In summary, the allegations are to the effect that the Governor kidnapped and detained one Comrade Igboayaka.
“Mr. Speaker, consistent with our rules, no debate was allowed on that petition. So, it was ordinarily referred to the committee on public petition.
“A whole lot of people were worried in my state, in my constituency. So, Mr Speaker, I could recall just last week, you made a ruling and admonished us that if we must take petitions, we should take petitions concerning our states, if we must go beyond our states, we must get in touch with our Hon members in those states so that we can get haste up or we can give more information to our colleagues.
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague never consulted any of us which is the privilege we should enjoy from you having made a ruling on that. It is a very serious situation that has arisen, and we think that our privilege has been seriously infringed.
“Mr Speaker, the Governor of Ebonyi State, is a sitting Governor, and by virtue of section 308(1) of the constitution, he enjoys immunity. Everybody is bewildered. What do we intend to achieve by that resolution saying that the committee on public petition should investigate a sitting Governor? What do we intend to achieve? Do we intend to drag him before this House because that is the consequence of a committee resolution?
“So, Mr Speaker, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, we are asking this House to do what is consequential in these circumstances, which is to strike away that resolution, and the order of the committee should also be rescinded”, Igariwey said.