By Leonard Okachie
Abia House of Assembly has denied social media report that it mandated the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, to issue a public apology over a misunderstanding between him and its member.
The Deputy Speaker and Spokesperson, Austin Meregini, who debunked such report while addressing newsmen in Umuahia on Thursday, said the House did not reach any resolution to that effect.
He admitted that there was a misunderstanding between the deputy governor and Mr Mba Nwoko, member representing Ohafia South State Constituency, but said the matter had been taken care of internally.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there have been publications by social media of the House mandating the deputy governor to apologise to Nwoko for disrespecting the lawmaker during the recent state-wide local government elections.
It was alleged that Emetu, who is from the same constituency with Nwoko, had instructed the security operatives to arrest the lawmaker for asking about the election result sheet.
Condemning the report, Meregini, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Media, said that it was the imagination and figment of the mischief makers.
He said that the deputy governor and the lawmaker are brothers, hence there was no need for the Assembly to pass a resolution mandating such an apology.
Meregini said: “I was present at the Tuesday sitting, both at the plenary and executive session; there was no time we reached such resolution.
“We do not condone any kind of misunderstanding, but as long as we co-exist, there’s bound to be misunderstanding every now and then.
“When there is need, we do offer constructive criticism and constructive oversight on the activities of the government and the Executive and we expect that it will continue.”
He reaffirmed the robust relationship between the Legislature and the Executive, saying that it would continue to exist for the benefit of Abia people.
Meregini commended the Executive on the level of implementation, while expressing satisfaction with the quality of bills passed by the Assembly.(NAN)
