“They’re fighting a lost battle I cannot be impeach” - Sullivan Chime

The Enugu State governor, Sullivan Chime, spoke to newsmen at Government House, Enugu, he said the Eugene Odo- led faction of the State House of Assembly and 13 others who, he described as clowns, allegedly demanded money from him, adding that the fight was all about money.

Chime was reacting to the directive by the 14 of the 24 members to the Clerk of the House,  Christopher Chukwurah, to serve an impeachment notice on him (Chime) earlier on Monday.

However, in a swift reaction, Speaker Odo said Chime lied, wondering why a person occupying an exalted office of governor would tell bare-faced lies.

Governor Chime had stressed that the assembly men were fighting a lost battle as he would not be impeached since there were processes that would lead to the impeachment of a governor which the faction would never achieve in their bid to remove him.

Asking newsmen not to water down his harsh words for House members, he said:  ‘’The office of governor is not like that of the Speaker that you can blow siren to the office and go home on Okada (commercial motorcycle).

‘’They (assemblymen) are not aware of the constitutional provisions relating to impeachment. Let me use this word stupid. I have been hearing all sorts of things as reasons for their recent attacks on my lieutenants, heads of departments and commissioners since last month or so.

“They called them and were questioning them on all sorts of things that happened even in my first tenure. Their dream impeachment will never see the light of day.

‘’I want my defence to see the light of day. The Office of Governor is a very serious office. You do not just wake up one morning and you start thinking of impeachment. The section of the constitution that deals with impeachment is 188. It deals with how the governor or deputy will be removed from office.

“At least one-third of the House is required to sign a notice of allegations of gross misconduct against the holder of the office. So, the House has 24 members. Eight of them are expected to sign that notice.

“Nobody has served me the notice of allegation. By their own showing, they are 14 members including the Speaker who should not be counted. So they are 13. That is why they have not activated anything.