Anyim, Egwu’s loyalists serve Ebonyi gov impeachment notice

Rather than thaw, the crisis in Ebonyi State deepened on Friday as loyalists of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and former governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu, moved to impeach Governor Martins Elechi.
Elechi, Nigeria’s oldest governor, has been having a running battle with Anyim and Egwu over the control of the government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East state.
During the PDP primaries in October 2014, Elechi supported former Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, for the governorship ticket but Anyim and Egwu mobilied the party structure in Abuja to stop Chukwu’s ambition.
Elechi’s deputy, Dave Umahi, was supported by the duo and he eventually got the ticket. The governor was also denied senatorial ticket.
It is generally believed that PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Uche Sekondus, and the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, are the two national officers being used by Anyim and Egwu to checkmate the governor.
On Friday, the House of Assembly, through the acting Majority Leader, Hon. Ogbonnaya Francis Nwifruru, moved to impeach Elechi on charges of stealing and misappropriation of state funds.
Freedom Online learned that the action was the outcome of a meeting held in Abuja last week. At the meeting were Anyim, Egwu, Metuh, Nwifruru, some lawmakers and party chiefs from the state.
It is, however, not clear if President Goodluck Jonathan is in support of the impeachment move, four weeks to the presidential election.
The motion by the acting Majority Leader was supported by majority of the members.
Freedom Online also learned that the lawmakers had a meeting with Umahi in the morning before proceeding to the Assembly Complex to start the impeachment process.
Last week, the Assembly had constituted a panel to investigate the governor and last Monday, the panel concluded its investigation, finding Elechi culpable.
In his reaction, Elechi said the lawmakers were bribed by Anyim and Egwu to commence impeachment against him.
“They (lawmakers) were bribed to have a firm control of the treasury of the state but the people are on our side”.