Chijioke Agwu,Abakaliki
Ebonyi House of Assembly, yesterday, ordered its committee on Local Governments to immediately commence a comprehensive probe of the financial activities of the the executive Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Clement Omekannaya Odah, over alleged financial misconduct.
The House alleged that there had been numerous reports of financial recklessness in the council since Odah took over the leadership of the council in 2017.
The House also ordered security agencies to arrest and prosecute the council boss for allegedly slapping a member of the House over non-confirmation of political appointees from Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
The House passed the resolution after the council boss allegedly slapped the member representing Ohaukwu south constituency, Chinedu Onah, inside the Assembly complex during a committee meeting yesterday.
Daily Sun gathered that Onah with some other lawmakers were meeting with MDAs on budget matters when the Chairman stormed the venue with a group of boys.
A source in the House told Daily Sun that the council boss was infuriated over non-confirmation of some of his nominees for appointment as management committee members of Development Centres from Ohaukwu which he accused Hon. Onah of spearheading.
“Chairman just came into the committee room and pointed at Onah and said you, this small boy, I brought you here and you have the guts to step down my nominees. I will deal with you. Then Onah said don’t point fingers at me, Chairman. I didn’t do anything. Then the chairman slapped him before other House members.”
Apparently embarrassed by the action, the House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Odefa Obasi Odefa, through a motion moved by the Leader the House, Victor Chukwu, also ordered that psychiatric test should be conducted on the chairman to ascertain if he was mentally sound.
Odah denied slapping the lawmaker. He however admitted that he was at the Assembly complex to see some of his friends.
“I saw Hon. Chinedu Onah and I approached him to know the reason for the non-screening of four of our nominees for appointments as management committee members. I reminded him that his role as lawmaker from the council was to see to the protection of our people and not to play up their deficiencies. I did not slap him and there was absolutely no basis for that.”