Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State
With 19 out of the 27 members of the state assembly, despite his 11th hour effort to stop the process by the court, Mr Eze Madumere, Deputy Governor, was impeached and the Head of Service, Mr Callistus Ekenze, approved in his place.
The Speaker of the House, Acho Ihim, said the impeachment followed the outcome of a report of a seven-man panel, which was constituted by the Chief Judge of the state to investigate allegations of gross misconduct.
He was accused of being absent from work without reasons for three months and also failing to perform constitutional duties like attending state executive and state security council meetings.
He was also accused of failure to attend meetings with the Governor and other government functionaries as well as an alleged concealment of felonious act in the United States.
Madumere had tried to stop the impeachment process, instituting several actions in the court. Hearing was slated to begin today.
Madumere, in his first suit against the state Chief Judge, the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly and the Imo State House of Assembly, contested the validity of the Assembly’s motion and the Speaker’s request to the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the alleged gross misconduct levelled against him.
Apparently irked by failure of the defendants to respect the pendency of the suit, the deputy governor again filed two fresh suits against the defendants in the original suit and the seven-man panelists. Joined in the fresh suit as the second to eight defendants, are Nze Saba Nze, Charles Okoro, Barth N. Opara, Mr. Chika Anosike, Mr. Nwokocha Chidozie, Mrs. Olivia Nwanekezi and Amadi Chidinma.
Another prayer before the Court is “an order restraining the Speaker and Imo State House of Assembly, from receiving or accepting or acting on any report presented by the second to eight defendants, pending the determination of this suit.” All that, apparently, came to an end on Monday. With NAN reports.
