IN the last three weeks, Anambra State has been in the news on account of the impeachment move by some Anambra State lawmakers against Governor Peter Obi and his deputy, Dame Virginia Etiaba. The plot started precisely Monday, October 16, two days after President Olusegun Obasanjo left Anambra State after a two day state visit. The law makers, 15 out of the 28 (the real number is 30), had levelled an 11-point allegation against Obi and his deputy. The issue sharply divided the House, with one group led by Speaker Mike Balonwu coordinating the 15 pro-impeachment camp, while Hon. Ben Chuks Nwosu was elected by the anti-impeachment camp as their speaker. The Balonwu group fled Anambra State for Asaba, Delta State where they were camped at the Grand Hotel. The Nwosu group loyal to Obi remained in Awka.
Despite the outcry generated by the impeachment plot, the Balonwu camp went ahead to ask the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Chuka Jideofor Okoli, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations. The law makers in support of Obi kicked against the action, saying that it was illegal as the Balonwu group did not have the required two thirds of the state�s law makers who initiated the action.
In spite of the opposition, Okoli, said not to be in good terms with Obi, having allegedly been looking for a way to get at Obi for dissolving the Judicial Service Commission which the Chief Judge was the chairman, went ahead to set up a seven-member investigative panel. To exhibit his alleged bias against Obi, the Chief Judge�s panel was allegedly made up of four members from Nnewi, where Obi�s deputy and the parallel speaker, Nwosu hail from. The panel was inaugurated Monday, October 30, a day Obi, who said he was never served the impeachment notice, on his own submitted his written defence and made himself available to the panel. However, by the time he came the panel members were not yet available to take on him.
Appearance before panel
For two days, Monday and Tuesday, the panel sat, and took evidence from those it invited, who included some top civil servants and contractors. Obi�s client requested that their counsel should appear in person before the panel, a request said to have been rejected by the panel. Last Wednesday, the panel adjourned, to resume Monday (tomorrow) when Obi�s deputy was billed to appear before it.
Surprisingly, the following day, being Thursday, the Balonwu led camp, as early as 5.30am, 12 of them, sneaked into Awka using God knows report, and announced that Obi had been impeached. They went ahead to ask the Chief Judge to swear-in Obi�s deputy, Mrs. Etiaba, who, according to the panel, was to appear before them tomorrow. The lawmakers, said to be only 12 short of the two third of 20 that impeached Obi, also went ahead to name their colleagues who, according to them, are in support of Obi as having been party to the impeachment.
But, in a sharp reaction, the pro-Obi lawmakers went on air to debunk the claim. They showed themselves at the Government House and stayed with Obi. Etiaba, who was asked to be sworn-in by the chief judge, rejected the offer and rushed to the Government House to see her boss, spoke to journalists and affirmed that Obi remained her boss. In fact, herself and Obi rode in the same vehicle to Enugu, where a meeting lasting hours was held at Chief Emeka Ojukwu�s house.
At the meeting, it, was agreed, Sunday Vanguard learnt, that Obi and his deputy would resist the impeachment since due process was not followed. After the meeting, Obi left for Awka, where he continued to receive sympathizers, including NBA president, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN). Obi went to sleep, thinking that their discussion at the meeting with Ojukwu was binding. They even agreed that he should address the people of Anambra State on their decision.
Surprisingly, his deputy changed her mind and accepted to be sworn-in as the governor of Anambra State. Etiaba�s action, for Obi, was like a stab on the back. The u-turn is described as Nnewi�s conspiracy. The deputy is from Nnewi, Ojukwu is from Nnewi, Okoli, the chief judge is from Nnewi, four members of the panel including the chairman are from Nnewi..
The intrigues dawned on Obi when Friday morning shortly before he wanted to make the broadcast as agreed at their Enugu meeting, his effort to reach his deputy on phone was blocked. He, however, went ahead to make the broadcast. Few hours after the broadcast, Etiaba, coming from Enugu, was received by three truck loads of mobile policemen, at the Anambra-Enugu border and escorted to her office and later to the conference hall, where the swearing-in was to take place. Her office and the conference were cordoned off by policemen and other security operatives. Later journalists were ushered into the hall, and shortly the deputy governor was also ushered in.
About 10 minutes later the chief judge came in and immediately swore-in Etiaba as Obi�s replacement. After the ceremony, she did not go into the governor�s office, where of course, Obi was while the ceremony was going on. Rather, she drove off in the same convoy with Okoli both of whom, were joined at the gate of the Government House by Mike Balonwu and his group from Asaba. They drove to an unknown destination.
Obi remained in his office and in fact addressed reporters that he was still the governor. He spent close to two hours before he drove off to unknown destination. And to underscore his claim, his police and security details remained intact. In his interaction with reporters Obi said. �The stand of the National Executive Council (NEC) of APGA is very clear. Our party does not recognise unconstitutionality or illegality. I have said it before that the process that was brought about today is unconstitutional and a law abiding citizen, who swore to abide by the constitution should not be seen to be doing otherwise.
�All I am saying is that the actions of the lawmakers that brought about this today is unconstitutional. You were here when they initiated the purported impeachment notice. Even as I am talking to you I have not received that impeachment notice yet they went ahead without having the 2/3 majority to request the chief judge who is supposed to be the overall boss as far as law is concerned, who knows the constitution to set up a panel without having to do so.
“They did so, notwithstanding that illegality, I still offered myself to explain those allegations, yet I was denied of that opportunity. When did we start in this country that if you accuse somebody of something you won�t even give him a chance to explain himself? This is a very big problem.
�If a governor is not given a chance to explain himself in a case that is transparent and honest, then all of a sudden without even seeing the report. The report was only made available to the Mike Balonwu-led House of Assembly members who sat by 5.00 a.m. when there is a standing rule that all sitting is by 10a.m.
“Why are people sitting by 5.00 a.m. if what they are doing is honest? It is a mark of illegality and I as a governor cannot concede to that because then I won�t be defending the constitution that I swore to uphold�.