31st October
By Okey Maduforo (Awka),Chukwujekwu Ilozue (Onitsha),Onojo Audu (Jos) and Chinedu Offor (Washington DC

Anambra State Chief Judge, Chuka Okoli, swore in the panel charged with probing the allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Peter Obi, in the hope of getting him fired.

Deputy Governor Virgy Etiaba is also under investigation.

In Jos, the committee investigating Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State began sitting.

Panel Chairman, John Nark Samchi, declared that no body is on trial, that the assignment is just a probe which will be conducted in public as long as those who attend the proceedings do not cause distraction.

He urged the people to pray for Dariye, the legislators, and members of the panel for God’s guidance.

That provided the man in the eye of the storm little assurance against human bias.

Dariye gave a "notice of appearance in protest" even though he repeated through his counsel, Pius Akubo, that setting up the panel violates the Constitution.

The allegations in Anambra are being levelled by a faction in the state Assembly, led by Speaker Mike Balonwu, whom another faction reportedly replaced with Ben Chuks Nwosu last week.

Nwosu and his camp have asked Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, to arrest Balonwu for parading himself as the Speaker.

Okoli reiterated at the swearing in ceremony on Thursday that he had just concluded his function "in line with the Constitution, and that of the learning process of our democracy, and we will continue to work until we develop it.

"If the panel finds the allegations true or false it will look into the Constitution and take the necessary legal action. The office of the chief judge is to appoint the (panel members) and administer the oath and see that what they do is done faithfully and impartially.

"The Constitution will grow if these processes can be allowed to continue so that we will know that it is this Constitution that is the grund norm that governs our land, and, so, there is nothing peculiar or particular about it."

The panelists are Chinedu Oranuba (Chairman), Ifeanyi Udenze, Ijemma Okwu, Irene Okonkwo, Ehimezie Mbaonu, Brawn Ofeme, Emma Chuka Ifeadike and Ralph Okey Onunkwo (Secretary).

Oranuba announced the invitation on Tuesday of Obi and Etiaba; as well as the police commissioner; Assembly clerk; permanent secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing; permanent secretary, Ministry of Finance; Tenders Board chairman, and the accountant general.

He said "we have a constitutional duty to perform, and by the grace of God, and with your support, we will do it."

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Onitsha branch Chairman, Onyechi Ikepazu, told reporters that "according to (Okoli), the panel mambers are people of proven integrity, and they are, and I urge Nigerians to find out what they are made of and if it can be justified by their actions."

However, the Nwosu faction of the Assembly passed a resolution which requested the "erring legislators (led by Balonwu) and (Okoli) to retrace their steps and stop the violation of the Constitution."

They urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to sanction their colleagues for refusing to heed advice to stop the impeachment move.

"Those people you see in Asaba have no interest of Anambra people at heart but a selfish interest. You can’t be elected into Anambra Assembly by your people and you go to Asaba to stay," Nwosu stressed.

The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) expressed regret that Okoli inaugurated the committee despite two court orders restraining him and the lawmakers pending the determination of the substantive suit.

State CLO Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said the organisation was not entirely surprised, given the manner Okoli has shown that he does not obey court orders.

He added: "Now that members of the Assembly are bent on impeaching Obi, Anambra indigenes and others who reside in the state should brace up for the worst."

The stage could be set for emergency rule in Anambra, as Abuja may have persuaded Washington and the international community that it has to remove the elected leaders as the last measure to prevent "the entire area from drifting into lawlessness."

A letter from Aso Rock to the American State Department claimed that all efforts, including intervention by President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the top hierarchy of the PDP, have failed to stop the "descent into anarchy."

The letter cited the burning of Government Lodge in Onitsha, rising tension between factions and the re-emergence of members of the separatist Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and road transport touts as evidence the situation in Anambra is dire.

Abuja’s reach out to Washington arose from the international outrage and American displeasure with the appointment of an administrator for Ekiti State.

Sources said Washington argued the criteria for a state of emergency should be a "clear and present danger" and the Ekiti crisis did not amount to that.

The pressure from the United States informed Obasanjo's decision to brief lawmakers on his decision to declare an emergency rule in Ekiti.

Top officials in Washington said Abuja is seeking the support of the U.S. by arguing that the Anambra case is capable of "precipitating a crisis of the entire eastern region."

Sources in Aso Rock disclosed that some lawmakers from the South East have been briefed about Obasanjo's intentions and that Abuja is awaiting the outcome of "a last ditch" mediation by Igbo personalities.

A former military administrator of Anambra and the head of an important health agency are being considered for the post of an administrator if peace moves fail.