By Special Correspondent
The alleged forgery of Governor Hope Uzodinma’s signature and that of the Secretary to Imo State Government, Cosmas Iwu by the 40-year-old speaker of Imo State House Of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe is said to have set the State Government and it’s officials in controversy.
A reliable source in Imo Government House, revealed that Rt. Hon. Chike Olemgbe desperately forged Uzodinma and SGI Iwu’s signatures in an undisclosed documents to obtain travel permit for his relations, concubines and church members numbering over 30s.
She revealed that the Speaker, needed the signatures of the Governor, the SSG and the liaison Officer to authenticate a “Note Verbale” permit for the trip, but it became obvious to him that Governor Uzodinma, his SSG, Chief Cosmos Iwu and the Abuja liaison Officer were not interested to attend to his request, he went ahead to forge their signatures.
“Left with no option in his state of anguish and frustrations, the Speaker was said to have gone ahead to allegedly forge the trio’s signatures with the help of some Imo Lawmakers who are currently at large and forwarded same to the Chinese Embassy for approval, only for the embassy to revert to the Imo State liaison office in Abuja for confirmation where the forgery was discovered.
“Currently, the Speaker is at a cross road over the alleged criminal forgery which is an offence punishable by law under Section 467; chapter 44 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.
The source disclosed that Governor Uzodinma had directed the Speaker to honorably resign his position or risk embarrassing impeachment any moment from now, while Lawmakers fingered in the scam risk indefinite suspension.” The source revealed.
It could be recalled that within 3 years, Uzodinma’s government has masterminded the impeachment of over 4 Speakers in a more controversial manner.
The possible impeachment of the current Speaker, Olemgbe over this criminal act will record Uzodinma as the only Governor in the history of Nigeria with too many Speakers in one administration.
All efforts to obtain the speaker’s reaction over the allegation proved abortive as calls to his known phone line returned ‘unreachable’ at press time.
