Anambra lawmakers summon commissioner over alleged offensive comment

By The Citizen

The Anambra State House of Assembly has summoned the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Joe Martins Uzodike to appear before it on Tuesday next week over alleged comments credited him about the lawmakers.

The comments were allegedly made by the commissioner following the attendance in Lagos by some of the lawmakers, the wedding of the younger sister of Mr. Ifeanyi Uba, a governorship aspirant in the state.

Uzodike was quoted to have said: 'I want to assure you that it is the constitutional right of any citizen to attend any function. You cannot punish any person for no offence and I want to tell you that nobody is contemplating such. Our governor is the last person to think in that direction.

'The House of Assembly is an autonomous body and you have just told me that 26 (members) went to Lagos to eat rice and beans at the wedding of Ifeanyi Uba's sister. What has that got to do with government?'

Following the publication of that interview in a national newspaper (not Vanguard), the state lawmakers summoned the commissioner to the House during which they allegedly threatened to remove him.

Apparently not satisfied with his explanations on the floor of the House, the lawmakers said he should appear before them again on Tuesday