The Imo State House of Assembly has impeached the Deputy Governor, Mr Eze Madumere.
He was impeached on Monday by 19 out of the 27 member-assembly.
According to the Speaker of the House, Acho Ihim, the impeachment followed the outcome of a report of a seven-man panel, constituted by the Chief Judge of the state to investigate allegations of gross misconduct.
But the action took place in apparent disregard for 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 impeachment proceeding against the Deputy Governor.
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 bothers on constitutional breaches in the procedure adopted to remove the Deputy Governor from the office.
Four allegations were raised against the deputy governor, whose chummy relationship with Gov Rochas Okorocha was riled by the determination of the governor to railroad his son-in-law into the government house, while Madumere had nurtured the dream of succeeding him.
They included his absence without reasons for a period of three months and a failure to perform constitutional duties like attending state executive and state security council meetings.
Others are his alleged failure to attend meetings with the governor and other government functionaries as well as an alleged concealment of felonious acts in the United States.
Meanwhile, Mr Callistus Ekenze, who was until this morning the Head of Service in the state has been nominated by the governor as the new deputy.
The Speaker read out the nomination letter on the floor of the house immediately after the impeachment.
Prince Madumere, according to people speaking for him on the matter, 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.
Madumere through his Counsel, Chief Ken Njemanze (SAN), had served the Chief Judge, Speaker and members of Imo State House of Assembly coupled with the members of the 7 man panel over a breach in the service of notice of Gross Misconduct and other illegality, even as the Deputy Governor was not mandatorily served as required by law.
According to reports, the seven-man of inquiry never sat for one day as no location where they sat in the court premises was mentioned; even as the Deputy Governor and other parties to the impeachment procedure were never summoned, thereby stalling room for fair hearing.
Some Imo citizens are outraged by the development, which they see as the activation of the grand plan of Gov. Okorocha to foist his son-in-law as his successor.
Some described Imo State House of Assembly as mere rubber stamps who have become willing tools in the hands of Okorocha who does not obey court orders.
Barr. Ikechukwu Nwaopara described the action of the lawmakers as legislative rascality, which cannot stand the test of time having been restrained by the court of competent jurisdiction.
He therefore called on the people of the State to remain calm since the matter is already before the court, assuring that justice will prevail.
Reacting to the development, Engr. Okey Njoku, an oil worker, called for quick recall of the lawmakers that participated in what he described as Kangaroo removal of the Deputy Governor from the office, assuring that Okorocha and his co travellers have met their Waterloo with the illegality of their action.
Nze Stanley Onuoha, an All Progressives Congress Chieftain, described the illegal removal of the Deputy Governor of Imo State as subjudice since the matter since they had been restrained by the court of competent jurisdiction. He also took a swipe at Imo lawmakers described them as mere bench warmers. He further opined the Imo State has been made a laughing stock for disobedience of rule of law.
