The removal of Hon Philip Igwe is still generating mixed reactions everywhere. Despite several reliable sources providing proofs that the disgraced former leader of Aninri Legislature actually stole a lot from the council, some people have taken the lawmaker’s side. To his supporters, Philip’s “sudden” impeachment was politically motivated.
But several councillors are not coming out in the open to give “first-hand accounts” of what transpired.
“Hon Philip is ‘guilty as charged'”, an outspoken councillor from Nenwe told The Mail on phone interview.
“Some people are accusing the chairman. First of all, these people are fools. We have 13 different petitions against the former leader. These petitions and complaints all came from the good people of Ndeabor, from different localities.
“In a due course we’ll publish these petitions so the public could trace the names of the petitioners to see they are all real human beings. Philip is my friend and I respect him so much, but I don’t understand why he should believe the council belongs to him,” the lawmaker said, pleading anonymity.
The Mail reported that Philip Igwe was impeached yesterday. He served as the leader of Aninri 10th Assembly. He was reelected by the 11th Assembly on November 2024. However, citing gross financial misconduct, theft and thuggery his colleagues stripped him of the honour in a broad daylight while threatening to drag him before the EFCC.
The incident is presently heating the polity in Aninri but that is because the public has been struggling to know exactly what happened, said another councillor from Nenwe.
The councillor said: “I understand that people are confused a bit over this. But there’s no need to be confused. I want to challenge anyone talking nonsense to call up his or her councillor to verify.
“All the councillors, all of us were there. It was a pure legislative business. All these people ranting on social media were not there. So where did they get their facts that due process was ignored in removing Philip?
“What the public didn’t know is that we didn’t wake up yesterday and impeach the former leader.
According to the councillor, Philip Igwe has been under series of investigations for long. It was after finding him culpable that the House hit him publicly as the climax of lengthy, painstaking backstage efforts. Gladys Ani, the councillor representing Oduma IV, also incurred displeasure of her colleagues yesterday. They suspended her for the initial stretch of six months.
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Emmanuel Ajah, a non-nonsense fierce councillor representing Okpanku, was elected and sworn in as Leader of the 11th Assembly.