A lawmaker-elect for Obingwa West state constituency of Abia, Uchenna Erondu (Jnr), has been accused of funding the impeachment plot against Chinedum Orji.

Mr Erondu, in a statement on Thursday, dissociated himself from the crisis currently rocking the house, leading to its factionalisation.

“It beats my imagination that my name could be associated with such a crisis when I have yet to become a member of the house,” he stated.

He appealed to those spreading “the unfounded and malicious allegations to stop forthwith,” adding that it would not serve them any useful purpose.

On Tuesday, 16 of the 24-member assembly impeached Mr Orji over alleged gross misconduct.

Mr Orji, in turn, organised an emergency plenary session attended by eight members, plus himself, where they announced the suspension of the nine members involved in his purported impeachment.

It was alleged that Mr Erondu, a former aide to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, had galvanised and financially induced the 16 members to impeach the speaker.

However, Mr Erondu said at no time did he give money to any legislator nor engage anyone “to obtain the buy-in of members of the assembly” on his behalf.

“I advise the idle minds manufacturing these lies and rumours and seeking to drag my name down to look for a meaningful venture to engage their brains rather than this reckless path of character assassination,” he added.

(NAN)