Imo Assembly declares Ngor Okpala seat vacant, suspends three lawmakers

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Kennedy Ibeh, on Thursday declared vacant the seat of the lawmaker representing Ngor Okpala State Constituency, Tochi Okereke.

The speaker made the declaration following the adoption of a motion moved by a lawmaker representing Ideato South, Johnson Duru, and seconded by his colleague from Oru East, Chigozie Nwaneri.

The speaker said Okereke had been absent from the House proceedings for more than one-third of the total number of days since the parliament was inaugurated in 2019.

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He, therefore, asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election to elect a new representative for the constituency.

He also suspended three lawmakers for dereliction of duty.

The suspended lawmakers are Authur Egwim (Ideato North), Ngozi Obiefule,(Isu), and Obinna Okwara (Nkwerre).

Ibeh said the suspended lawmakers failed to attend Governor Hope Uzodinma’s 2022 budget presentation to the House.

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