… Restricts House of Assembly further action
CHRIS NJOKU, OWERRI
The Owerri High Court Justice Benjamin Iheaka has on Tuesday declared the impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, invalid and of no legal effect.
He said in his judgment which lasted for three hours, that the Chief Judge of the state, Paschal Nnadi and the Attorney General of the state, Militus Nlemadim acted on the matter without adhering to the provisions of Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended in the impeachment of Madumere on July 31, 2018.
The jurist contended that the CJ constituted the seven-man panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct by Madumere by the State House of Assembly outside the seven days lifeline as provided by the constitution.
“I strongly hold that the appointment of the seven-man panel ought to have been dismounted and discarded as it was set up after the plaintive had obtained an injunction,” he stated.
He ruled that the panel be disbanded, adding that the Speaker, who is the ninth respondent and State Assembly, the tenth, were restricted from further constituting any panel or take any directive from anybody to commence another impeachment procedure until the determination of the case before the court.
Reacting, the counsel to the Deputy Governor, Kingsley Onunuju, flayed the impeachment procedure, saying that it was carried out without compliance to the rule of law. “It was intellectual abuse to the rule of law.”
When contacted for her comment, the state counsel, the Acting Solicitor-General J.C Ibe refused to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, there is jubilation within the premises of Court and at the campaign office of the Deputy Governor along Okigwe road as both party members and well-wishers besieged the secretariat to rejoice with Madumere over his victory.
Speaking later, Madumere thanked all Imo people for their support during his travail. He said that his only sin against the state Governor Rochas Okorocha was his stand against the governor’s anti-human policies.
“It has been battle against suppression, oppression and lawlessness,” he said. He commended the courage of PDP lawmakers for standing up against lawlessness not minding party differences.
“Let me salute the courage of PDP members who stood against lawlessness, l salute my APC party members, I salute Ikedi Ohakim, Emeka Ihedioha, Afe Babalola (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN) for standing for justice,” he stated.
He vowed to provide good governance for the people of the state by creating mass employment, industrialisation, youth empowerment; to rebuild the health sector, enthronement of rule of law, social amenities and enviable traditional institution.
