The Enugu State House of Assembly on Thursday directed the Chief Judge
of the state, Justice Innocent Umezuruike, to, within one week,
constitute a seven-man committee to investigate allegations of gross
misconduct levelled against the deputy governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi.
The lawmakers had commenced impeachment proceedings against Onyebuchi
after he was accused of running an illegal poultry within his official
residence, and refusing to represent his principal, Governor Sullivan
Chime, at official functions.
The assembly adopted a motion for the establishment of the committee
after receiving Onyebuchi's reply to the allegations at its sitting on
Thursday.
In his response, Onyebuchi denied all the allegations brought against him.
The leader of the House, S.K. E. Ude-Okoye, moved the motion for the
investigation of the allegations by a committee to be set up by the
Chief Judge in line with the provisions of Section 188(5) of the 1999
Constitution.
The motion was seconded by Kevin Ukuta, and supported by19 other
members of the House.
Onyebuchi, in his response, said he was glad that the allegations
against him did not bother on corruption or fraud.
In his defence against the allegation of running an illegal poultry in
his official residence, he insisted that no complaint of any
environmental or health hazard from the said poultry was brought to
his attention between 2008 and November 2013.
The deputy governor stressed that the poultry had been in existence
since the days of the Premier of the defunct eastern region, Dr. M. I.
Okpara.
He also deposed that the facility was used by other government
officials who occupied the building, including his predecessor.
Denying the alleged offences, Onyebuchi said, "It is important to
state that the structure for the said poultry farm was built by
Dizengorf WA Limited during the regime of late Chief M. I. Okpara.
The first occupant of the premises was late Chief Nwodo and he
operated a poultry farm there. Subsequent occupants of the premises,
up to my immediate predecessor in office, operated poultry farms in
the premises.
"Similar structures were built by Chief Okpara in most of what was
then known as Ministers' Quarters. Indeed, till date, the Government
House, Enugu, also has an Agricultural Unit, larger than the one in my
official quarters, where a large poultry farm continues to be
maintained."
In the same vein, Onyebuchi denied the allegation that he refused to
carry out Chime's directives.
He said Chime did not instruct him to act on his behalf when he
(Chime) travelled for a vacation outside the country in June, adding
that the governor never told him to represent him at a South-East
Governors Forum meeting on July 6, as alleged.
He said, "Let me start by saying that on June 9, 2014, His Excellency
the Governor commenced his 2014 annual vacation. This was made public
through various news media. He did not tell me to take any action on
his behalf pending his return, and I am not aware that he sent a
formal letter to the Enugu State House of Assembly to inform the House
that he was proceeding on vacation.
-PUNCH.
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