Ebonyi State House of Assembly (EBSHA) was yesterday burnt down by hoodlums alleged to have been sponsored by prominent personalities in Governor Martin Elechi’s cabinet.

The Assembly building was reportedly gutted when the miscreants set fire to the building using a mixture of fuel and diesel early Tuesday in Abakaliki.

Among offices affected were those of the deputy speaker, account department, media section of the Assembly complex, and other properties and sensitive documents relating to the House.

Meanwhile, the House in its plenary has accused the state government of masterminding the incident.

It hinged its suspicion on the premise that the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Ben Igwenyi, former People Democratic Party, PDP, Youth Leader, Chinedu Ogah, Commissioner for Commence and Industry Dr Ifeanyi Ikeh, his Local Government counterpart, Celestine Nwali, and former House member, Eni Uduma, among other stakeholders in the state, had opined that the recent vacation of four seats of members by the House because they decamped to Labour Party, LP, had collapsed the 4th Assembly in the state.

The House, in a motion moved by Odefia Obasi representing Onicha west constituency and seconded by Nwokpor Julius representing Ishielu South constituency, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, to intervene and call the state government to order, stressing that the aim of the state government is to kill all members of the Assembly.

Also, Enyi C. Enyi representing Ezza North west constituency stated that if the police and other security agencies fail to provide security to the lawmakers, then they would resort to self help. According to Enyi, their lives were under threat, and accused some cabinet members of importing over 500,000 thugs into the state.

He warned that should anything happen to any member, the state government would be held responsible. He said the state government sponsored the dastardly act on the Assembly complex to deter the members from probing the financial scam allegedly committed by some of Elechi’s cabinet members, including the son-in-law, Edward Nkwagu, the LP governorship candidate.

The Speaker, Chukwuma Nwazunku, condemned the act and ordered the immediate arrest of cabinet members alleged to have sponsored the fire.

He, however, declared vacant the seat of the deputy speaker, Blaise Orji representing Afikpo south constituency, and Oliver Nwachukwu representing Abakaliki constituency, for anti-party activities.

In a swift reaction, Governor Elechi, who visited the scene, called on the state lawmakers to be calm, adding that the government in collaboration with the state security agents, would get to the root of the matter. But he warned that nobody should apportion blame until investigation is concluded.

•Adapted from a National Mirror story. Ebonyi Speaker Chukwuma Nwazunku.