Abia State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Chief Ifeanyi Uchendu and eight other members have been suspended.
The lawmakers were suspended during plenary on Tuesday presided over by the embattled Speaker, Chinedum Orji.
Orji was earlier on Tuesday reportedly impeached by 18 of the 24 members of the House.
Shortly before Orji’s reported impeachment, the police took over the premises of the Assembly and within few minutes, the Speaker’s impeachment was announced.
But a few hours later, Orji emerged and presided over the plenary of the House.
It was learnt that nine lawmakers were present during the sitting.
A source, however, said, “Orji remains the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly. Eleven members are with him. As you can see, nine of them attended the sitting, while two, who are currently out of the country, took permission.”
During the sitting, Uchendu was suspended alongside Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu, Hon Chukwudi Apugo, Hon Aaron Uzodike, Hon Chukwu Chijioke, Hon Thomas Nkoro, Hon Mike Ukoha, Obinna Ichita and Hon Okey Igwe.
The House said the suspension would take immediate effect, without pay.