Assembly suspends ex-speaker, majority leader

The crisis in the Imo State House of Assembly deepened yesterday with the suspension of a former Speaker,  Acho Ihim and former Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji, for 11 legislative days.  The assembly is set to wind up on June 6.

The resolution to suspend the two former principal officers was taken at a plenary presided over by the new speaker,  Chinedu Offor.  Offor emerged the new speaker on Thursday after Ihim’s successor, Lawman Duruji, resigned less than 48 hours after he was elected by his colleagues.  The speaker, who confirmed the development to our correspondent in a telephone interview, said the two were suspended for dereliction of duty.  Efforts to speak with the two former officers were unsuccessful.