*Eight other lawmakers sack the rebels

Fourteen members of the Enugu State of House of Assembly began an impeachment process against Governor Sullivan Chime early today: by adopting a resolution to serve him with a notice.

The session where the decision was taken was unusual: they met at about 5 a.m, an unofficial time and announced they were serving Chime, an impeachment notice.

Speaker Eugene Odo presided over the dawn meeting, which did not satisfy the constitutional requirement of two-thirds majority, taking the decision. There are 24 members of the state assembly.

As if their illegality was not enough, eight members of the assembly took another step at illegality: They met,and along with the deputy speaker,Chime Oji who presided over their session, announced the suspension of Speaker Odo, the House leader and three other members of the Odo faction.

They also recalled a suspended member of the house, Johnbull Nwaogu, to boost their strength to nine.

Despite this, they are also short of numbers. But it is not unusual in Nigeria, that the decision of the minority members may carry the day over the majority 14 members.

The face-off between the governor and the legislators has been traced to the non-nomination of many members for re-election.

The house had been a rubber-stamp of the executive, even helping to sack the deputy governor for raising chicken in his official home.

Ib recent weeks, it appeared to have found its balls. In one instance, it rejected Governor Chime’s request for a loan.

In response, the governor refused to release the salaries and allowances of the lawmakers since February.