Impeachment: Court Halts Imo Deputy Gov Designate …As Gunmen Kill Factional APC Leader

Impeached Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, has accused Governor Rochas Okorocha, of being behind his impeachment.
Madumere was last Monday impeached by the state House of Assembly over alleged gross misconduct.
But the action was in defiance to the ruling of a state High Court presided over by Justice Ben Iheka on July 30, restraining the legislators and the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Paschal Nnadi, from any further moves regarding the impeachment process.
Reacting, the impeached deputy governor in a statement by his media aide, Uche Onwuchekwa described his removal from office as illegal, saying neither the state House of Assembly nor the seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state, Paschal Nnadi, invited him to any of their sittings.
Madumere stated that the state House of Assembly was being used as a willing tool in the hands of the governor for political witch hunting.
The statement reads in part: “The state House of Assembly has become a mere stooge in the hands of the governor.
“In disobedience to the restraining order against the Chief Judge, the seven-man panel, Speaker and members of Imo State House of Assembly from further action on the controversial impeachment proceeding against the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, the House of Assembly in Gestapo manner, has removed the deputy governor of the state from office.
“The Presiding Judge of High Court 8, Justice Benjamin Iheka had restrained the seven-man panel of inquiry constituted by the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Paschal Nnadi, the Chief Judge, Speaker and members of Imo State House of Assembly over a matter brought before the court that borders on constitutional breaches in the procedure adopted to remove the deputy governor from the office.
“The Acho Ihim-led faction of the members of the House sponsored by Governor Okorocha against the court order and the rule of law illegally removed the deputy governor in a kangaroo manner.
“Against the requirement of the law, Prince Madumere was not given fair hearing as he was neither invited during the sitting of the investigative committee in the House of Assembly nor by the seven-man panel set up the Chief Judge.”
However, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday said he would respect the court order stopping the swearing in of the new deputy governor, Mr. Calistus Ekenze.
Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo disclosed this in a release to newsmen in Owerri.
The release also said that the governor had called on his party members to remain law abiding.
As captured by the release, “The scheduled swearing-in of the new Deputy-Governor of the State, Sir Calistus Ekenze, yesterday by 9am, could not take place again following the directive by the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha that the Interim Court Order restraining the Chief Judge of the state from carrying out the exercise be fully obeyed. “The venue of the scheduled swearing-in, the Sam Mbakwe Exco Chamber was full to the brim by guests including senior government functionaries and APC leaders in the state when the governor’s directive came through the Attorney-General of the state, Barrister M.O. Nlemedim in respect of the court order.
Meanwhile, a newly enthroned factional APC chairman for Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, Mr. Sunny Ejeagwu, has been assassinated by unknown gunmen at Akokwa on his way back from a meeting.
The incident, which occurred recently was reported to have kept the Governor Rochas Okorocha Rescue Mission family in disarray in view of the short service Ejeagwu was believed to have rendered to the All Progressives Congress before his sudden elimination.
It would be recalled that the slain party chairman was among the executive members recently elected into the party LG congress organised by the state governor in respect to the Federal High Court judgment against the previous one purportedly conducted in the state on May 5, 2018.
However, the governor has offered the sum of N20million to any informant that could make any information available in that regard.

Valentine Nduka, Owerri