The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Benjamin Uwajumogu, has opened up on how the elder brother of the impeached Deputy Governor, Martin Agbaso, and some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,, allegedly offered him N3 billion to impeach the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha.
In a chat with newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Uwajumogu claimed that the older Agbaso (Snr), business magnate, Emeka Offor, PDP National Vice Chairman, South East, Col. Augustine Akobundu, and other high ranking PDP members, promised him the said amount of money if he was able to engineer the impeachment of Okorocha and install his Deputy, Jude Agbaso, to become the Governor of the state.
His words: “Sometime in August, last year, Chief Martin Agbaso, fondly called Ochudo, invited me for a meeting to assist me in the attempt by the PDP hierarchy from removing me from office.
“I attended the meeting with him in Anambra State in the house of a high level member of the society, Sir Emeka Offor; we had other high ranking PDP members, including the current South East National Vice Chairman of PDP Col. Augstine Akobundu.
“I was shocked at the meeting. I was told that the Presidency has directed that impeachment proceedings be commenced against Governor Okorocha to remove him from office, so that the then Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso can take over.
“The sum of N3 billion was offered to me and adequate protection. I now asked them to give me the evidence that was required to impeach the governor and up till today, they have not given me any required evidence”.The Speaker also debunked claims that the impeachment of the deputy governor was predetermined, stressing that, “I am actually surprised by some of the information being released by the Agbasos.
“If there was any predetermined impeachment action, it was to be against the governor, which was to be sponsored by Martin Agbaso and the PDP, in line with the directives of the Presidency”.
Reacting, Akobundu denied the claim saying, “I am not aware of what he (Speaker) is talking about.
“I am a member of the opposition in the state and can’t be talking about impeachment. PDP is concerned with restoring good governance in the state”.
Also speaking, the State Public Relations Officer of the party, Blyden Amajirionwu, described the Speaker’s claim as unfounded and total falsehood.
He said: “The PDP is not interested in the impeachment of Okorocha because if he is impeached, the PDP will not takeover.
“We are working to ensure that we win the next election and restore good governance in the state.
“The PDP will remove Okorocha during the next general elections. we are not talking about impeachment”.
In his reaction, Agbaso simply said, “I am not sure the Speaker can say anything like that”.
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