The Imo state house of assembly has suspended Acho Ihim, its speaker, for alleged misconduct.
The speaker was said to have been suspended by 21 out of 27 lawmakers of the assembly, after he adjourned the plenary and hurried out of the assembly with the mace on Wednesday.
Ihim reportedly escaped with the mace after reading a letter announcing the lifting of the suspension on the 27 local government chairmen of the state.
The lawmakers had earlier raised objection to the letter.
They had cited order 15 of the house rule which enabled them to contribute to the letter before the ruling of the speaker but Ihim reportedly said no lawmaker could contribute to the matter.
In an attempt to prevent his colleagues from removing him, the suspended speaker allegedly ordered his aides to switch off the generating set supplying electricity to the complex.