Controversy erupted in Ebonyi State House of Assembly yesterday as a faction declared the seat of the Deputy Speaker, Odefa Obasi Odefa, vacant due to a letter of resignation purportedly written by him.
The House, with only 15 members in attendance, thereafter elected Kingsley Êkoro (Afikpo North West) as the new deputy speaker.
But in a swift reaction, the deputy speaker denied writing such a letter, insisting that he remains the deputy speaker of the Assembly.
Odefa had alleged last Saturday that some of his colleagues were plotting to illegally remove him due to his refusal to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At yesterday’s plenary, the speaker read out a ‘letter of resignation’ forwarded by the deputy speaker to the Assembly.
According to the speaker, Odefa purportedly wrote in the letter dated December 15, 2021 that he had made up his mind to resign as a member of the Assembly.
The speaker noted that the deputy speaker, according to the letter, took the decision to enable him move on with future engagements.
After reading the letter, the speaker declared his constituency seat and the position of the deputy speaker he occupied vacant.
The House thereafter nominated Ikoro as the new deputy speaker.
He was sworn in immediately by the speaker and the clerk.
The speaker also read a letter purportedly written by two other lawmakers, Oliver Osi (Ivo) and NgÍzi Eziulo (Afikpo North East) wherein the duo were purportedly said to have resigned their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reacting to the purported resignation letter, Odefa described it as fake, insisting that he still remains the deputy speaker.
Odefa, who expressed concern about the desperation by members of the APC in the House, noted that it is most unfortunate for the members to forge letters and purport that they were written by PDP members.
Alleging that he had been receiving threats, the deputy speaker reaffirmed his position as a member of the PDP.
He said he had petitioned Police Commissioner Aliyu Garba over the threat.
Osi said he and Eziulo did not write any letter to the House resigning from the PDP.
He said they were still bona fide members of the PDP and did not have any intention or reason to defect to the APC.