UGOCHUKWU EKE, OWERRI
The Imo state House of Assembly, has finally effected the impeachment of the State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere amidst tight security at the Assembly premises.
The impeachment was reportedly carried out by 19 out of the 27 members of the House of Assembly which is believed to have met the constitutional provision of two thirds majority for such democratic duties by the state legislators.
The lawmakers were said to have arrived the Assembly Complex in the afternoon and after a brief meeting they moved straight to the hallowed chambers and commenced business which eventually culminated in the impeachment of the embattled Deputy Governor of the State –Prince Eze Madumere who has been having a running battle with Governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha.
The Speaker of the House Hon Acho Ihim said that the action of the house followed the indictment of Madumere by the report of the 7-man panel constituted by the State Chief Judge, Paschal Nnadi to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Madumere
The motion for the impeachment was moved by the member representing Owerri Municipal, Hon. Lugard Osuji and seconded by the member representing Owerri North, Hon Victor Onyewuchi.
The Deputy Governor was among other allegations accused of abandoning his official duties for three months without reasons or official permission, failure to perform constitutional duties like attending state Exco and state Security Council, failure to attend meetings with the Governor and other government functionaries and concealment of felonious act in the United States.
Meanwhile the Imo State Head of Service, Callistus Ekenze has been nominated to replace Madumere as the Deputy Governor, Ekenze is from the same Mbaitoli local government Area with Prince Madumere.
It will be recalled that Prince Madumere was nominated Deputy Governor in 2013 after the former deputy Governor Jude Agbaso was impeached for alleged corrupt practices.
It will also be recalled that the action of the House of Assembly was against the relief on the impeachment proceeding against the Deputy Governor after a High Court sitting in Owerri, presided by Hon. Justice Benjamin Iheka had granted him an interim injunction.
The court order restrained the seven-man panel constituted by the Chief Judge of the state Paschal Nnadi from continuing with its inquiry until the matters before it that bothers on alleged constitutional breach is heard.
Prince Madumere was alleged to have stepped on the toes of Governor Rochas Okorocha for allegedly refusing to support his anointing of his Chief of Staff and Son-in-law – Uche Nwosu to succeed him next year as the governor of the state.
Nwosu is from the same Orlu zone with Okorocha while Madumere is from Mbaitoli-Owerri senatorial zone which is favoured to produce the next governor of the state in the spirit of the charter of equity of the state which rotates the governorship seat among the three senatorial zones of the state.
The New Narrative noticed that as at 3pm, on Monday 30th July, the roads leading to the House of Assembly complex were blocked by fierce looking armed police men, even as journalists including were aggressively prevented from entering the Assembly chamber to watch the impeachment proceedings.
Recall that Madumere had through his Counsel, Chief Ken Njemanze (SAN) filed an originating summon over what he described as a constitutional breach, having not been personally served as mandatorily required by law.
However, it was gathered that the Chief Judge against the suit before his court went ahead to set up a seven-man panel, which were already sworn-in, which led to another petition filed by Chief Njemanze (SAN) seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the seven-man panel from continuing with their inquiry pending the determination of the court.
The lead Counsel, who is the Attorney-General of the state, Militus Nlemadim to the first respondent, the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Paschal Nnadi, opposed the motion brought by Njemanze, arguing that the matter was a constitutional matter and the fact that the panel has a period of three months to discharge its duties.
This objection raised by the Attorney-General was dismissed since he could not guarantee the fact that the panel could short-circuit justice by choosing to conclude the matter within the shortest time thereby preventing justice from prevailing.
The Presiding Judge, High Court 8, Imo High Court, Hon. Justice Benjamin Iheka after addressing the Counsels representing the plaintiff and other defendants, the Chief Judge of the State, Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Imo State House of Assembly and the seven- man panel led by its Chairman, Nze Saba Nze, ruled that for justice to prevail, the matter before it, which bothers on constitutional breach in the impeachment procedure will be determined by the Court.
He therefore granted an interim order restraining the panel and every other party involved in the matter from further proceeding of the case pending the determination of the suit.
The judge thereby adjourned the matter to 13th August, 2018.
