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.
