BREAKING: Court stops swearing-in of new Imo Deputy Governor

The swearing-in of new Imo Deputy Governor Callistus Ekenze, has been stopped by a high court in the state.

It was earlier reported today that the swearing-in ceremony was ongoing at the Sam Mbakwe expanded Exco Chambers, at the Government House in Owerri, the state capital. However following the new court ruling,  it was gathered that the Attorney-General of the state, Miletus Nlemadim, informed those gathered for the ceremony about the ruling which halted the process.

Recall that former Imo Deputy Governor,  Prince Eze Madumere was on Monday impeached by the state House of Assembly over alleged gross misconduct. Considering the act as defiance to an order by a state High Court presided over by Justice Ben Iheka on July 30, the legislators and the Chief Judge of the state Justice, Paschal Nnadi, have been restrained from any further moves regarding the impeachment process, pending the hearing and determination of the matter.

Madumere had on the oher hand, flayed the House of Assembly for being a willing tool in the hands of the governor for political witch hunting. The impeached deputy governor who described his removal from office as illegal, said neither the 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’s media aide, Uche Onwuchekwa said that the House of Assembly has become “mere stooge in the hands of the governor.”

According to Onwuchekwa, “in disobedience to the restraining order against the 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 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.”