A heated disagreement over alleged cash disbursement from Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reportedly turned violent among members of the Labour Party (LP) caucus in the Abia State House of Assembly, leaving one lawmaker injured.
The incident, according to multiple reliable sources, occurred during a meeting of LP lawmakers at the Aba residence of Hon. Fyne Ahuama, who represents Osisioma Ngwa South Constituency.
Witnesses told reporters that the meeting, which was also attended by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, degenerated into chaos when the Majority Leader and member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu, allegedly attacked Hon. Akachukwu Ucheonye, representing Aba Central, with a beer bottle.
Ucheonye, who reportedly sustained a deep cut on the head and suffered a concussion, was said to have been taken to a private clinic in Aba for medical treatment.
“The lawmaker representing Aba Central State Constituency, Hon. Ucheonye, suffered serious head injuries after the Majority Leader attacked him with a beer bottle during an argument over the sharing of money allegedly disbursed by Governor Otti,” one of the sources familiar with the matter disclosed.
The money, sources claimed, was given to the LP caucus as a token of appreciation for the speedy passage of the ₦150 billion supplementary budget passed in August, in addition to the ₦750.3 billion 2025 Appropriation Bill earlier approved by the Assembly.
Trouble reportedly started when Hon. Ucheonye, who chairs the House Committee on Appropriation, Budget, and Planning, demanded a larger share of the funds, arguing that his committee played a major role in the budget process. His demand was said to have angered the Majority Leader, leading to a heated exchange and eventual assault.
“While the lawmakers were arguing over the sharing formula, Hon. Ucheonye insisted that his committee deserved a bigger portion. The Majority Leader disagreed and, in a fit of anger, picked up a beer bottle and smashed it on his colleague’s head,” another source explained.
In a message reportedly sent to Governor Otti, accompanied by photographs of his injuries, Ucheonye confirmed the attack, saying:
“Good evening, Your Excellency. This is a wound I sustained from the Majority Leader for trying to voice my opinion on issues bordering on the committee I chair at the premises of Hon. Fyne Ahuama during our caucus meeting today in Aba.”
It was further gathered that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emeruwa, who witnessed the incident, cautioned the lawmakers not to report the matter to the police or allow details of the altercation to reach the public.
Following his treatment, Hon. Ucheonye was said to have joined his colleagues on a state-sponsored trip to London, reportedly costing taxpayers close to ₦1 billion. The delegation, according to sources, travelled first class and lodged at Premier Inn London Town Centre Hotel, Phillips House, Croydon.
However, another round of disagreement reportedly broke out in London after some lawmakers accused the Speaker, his deputy, Hon. Augustine Meregini, and the Majority Leader of diverting part of the funds meant for the trip. “Only about 40 percent of the funds released for the trip was shared among the members. The remaining balance could not be accounted for,” a source claimed, adding that hotel security had to intervene to calm tensions when the disagreement escalated.
Insiders within the Assembly told this newspaper that some aggrieved members have begun mobilizing to impeach the Speaker and other principal officers upon their return to Nigeria, citing alleged financial impropriety and misconduct.
As of press time, neither the Abia State Government nor the leadership of the House had issued any official statement regarding the incident.
