By Ayo Kehinde
Mr Callistus Ekenze, whose fortune was to change with his sudden elevation from the position of Head of Service to the new status of Deputy Governor of Imo State following the impeachment of former Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, on Monday, has been temporarily dealt a blow by the court, which stopped his swearing-in in a most dramatic way on Tuesday.
Governor Rochas Okorocha, friends, well-wishers, associates, family members of Ekenze had gathered at the Government House to witness the swearing-in ceremony when the order form the state Chief Judge not to proceed with the event was read aloud to all by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Militus Nlemadium. A sad murmur ran through the Sam Mbakwe Hall for the occasion
Nlemadium however tried to calm frayed nerves by assuring the governor and all present that he would vacate the order later in the day and the Deputy Governor would be sworn-in.
The turn of event is sequel to the suit filed by Madumere, challenging the legality of the impeachment process.
In his suits, the impeached deputy governor had urged the court to “determine whether the Chief Judge can legally constitute a panel of seven persons of unquestionable integrity, to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the plaintiff, by the Speaker and the Imo State House of Assembly, during the pendency of suit number HOW/531/2018,” which he instituted against the Chief Judge, the Speaker and the Imo State House of Assembly, “in respect of the invalidity of the Assembly’s motion and the Speaker’s request to the Chief Judge to constitute the said panel”.
According to Madumere’s 12-paragraph affidavit, “the defendants were duly served with the originating summons and other processes in the suit on July 16, 2018, and they were aware of the pendency of the said suit.”
He equally prayed the Court to, among other things, set aside the appointment of seven persons by the Chief Judge, as members of the panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct made against him, by the Speaker and the State House of Assembly.
In the second suit, the Deputy Governor then sought “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the panel and the Speaker, from investigating or continuing to investigate the allegations made against him, or sitting or continuing to sit, or to inquire or continuing to inquire, or deliberate or continuing to deliberate on the aforesaid allegations of gross misconduct against the plaintiff, or make any findings or continue to make findings against the plaintiff, pending the determination of this suit.”
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.”
