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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The House of Representatives has asked its ethics and privileges committee to probe Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member representing Ideato Federal Constituency of Imo State.
During Thursday’s plenary, the house referred Ugochinyere to the committee over a recent camaraderie visit to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, after a “point of privilege” moved by a lawmaker from Plateau State, Yusuf Gagdi.
Ugochinyere had recently led over 50 members of the House of Representatives to the first year anniversary and thanksgiving service of Fubara in Port Harcourt.
Ugochinyere, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is a supporter of Fubara and parades himself as the spokesperson for 60 opposition lawmakers.
The lawmaker had earlier accused acting national chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, andMinister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of working against the party.
Fubara and Wike are at loggerheads over the control of the political structure in the state.
While moving a point of order, Gagdi said his privilege as a member of the lower legislative chamber was breached because Ugochinyere mispresented the visit by the legislators to Fubara.
Gagdi said after the visit to Fubara, Ugochinyere issued a statement, creating the impression that the lawmakers represented the House of Representatives.
He noted that the lawmakers are members of the house committee on local content and were in Rivers State for an oversight function, but used the opportunity to visit Fubara.
“One of our colleagues issued a press statement that the delegation was in RiverS State for a solidarity visit to the governor.
“It is okay to do a solidarity visit, but not for members to be misrepresented. I urge the house to look for this publication and interact with Ikenga,” he said.
Speaking, some of the lawmakers who were among the team that visited the governor attempted to raise a point of order, but the deputy speaker, Ben Kalu, who presided over the session, overruled them.
Kalu said the “point of privilege” is not to be debated.
The deputy speaker’s comment provoked loud rumblings among lawmakers.
Mark Esset from Akwa Ibom said the matter was too trivial to warrant discussion on the floor of the house.
“In my opinion, I don’t see anything here. The same paper publication said some members of the house. There is nothing here. There is freedom of association,” Esset said.
But he was ruled out of order by Kalu, who referred the matter to the committee on ethics and privileges.