George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The leadership crisis rocking the Imo State House of Assembly took a new twist Thursday as Deputy Speaker Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo tendered his resignation.
The resignation of the Deputy Speaker is coming less than twenty-four hours after the members of the Assembly suspended both the Speaker, Acho Ihim, and majority leader Hon. Lugard Osuji.
Hon. Ozuruigbo, who is now House of Representatives Member-elect for Nkwerre/Nwangele/Isu/Njaba Federal Constituency, signed his resignation letter May 15 received, a copy of which was sighted by Daily Sun, and received May 16 by the Clerk of the State Assembly.
The letter was addressed to the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly. It reads in part:
“As you already know ,I have been sent to another four years mission by my federal constituency ,nay Imo state, at the federal House of Representatives, Abuja.”
“This new task has come with its own challenges and expectations, especially need to play key roles in the formation of the National Assembly leadership, and time to strategically position,to pursue the greater interests of Imo state, South East and Nigeria, at the federal legislature. Currently, these will make my availability in Imo state irregular.”
“Hence, I seek your undertaking as I either save the office of Imo state Deputy speaker by resigning or allow my new engagements to suffer the office of Imo state Deputy speaker by holding same tenaciously.”
“Thus, for your efficiency and good of Imo people, I hereby resign as the Rt Hon. deputy speaker of Imo state House of Assembly (8th House), effective from the date written above.”