PCC orders LG council legislative leader to pay ‘suspended’ member entitlements

The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in Anambra state has ordered the Leader of Oji-River Legislative Council, Enugu state, Mr James Tabansi, to pay his member, Mr Onyeka Mmadubuchi, all the allowances being denied him during his alleged suspension.

The Federal Commissioner, Mr Samben Nwosu, who made the proclamation in a Case Conference in Awka, Anambra State, following a petition brought before it by Mmadubuchi, alleging that 14 members of the 20-man Legislative Council illegally conspired to suspend him and share his allowance for seven months amounting to N560, 000.

The complainant had in a petition alleged that his suspension was illegal as there was no law restraining members from entering the Chambers with phone before he did but was only adopted after his phone was seized in order to penalise him.

He also urged the Commission to compel the Leader to show evidence of where the rule became a law before he was suspended and mandate the council to reverse his suspension as illegal and pay him his entitlements.

In her testimony, the clerk of the LG legislative council,  Mrs Ifeoma Nebeife, said she paid Madubuchi’s first allowance back into the council IGR account but was stopped from doing so by the Leader in subsequent months.

In a defense, Tabansi said he derived his powers from a draft of House of Representatives Rules as the Council was yet to adopt the rule book for its own purpose.

Nwosu after hearing testimonies of the parties involved and their argument, ruled that the complainant was suspended in error, and asked that he should be paid his full allowance immediately.

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