The State’s Head of Service, Mr. Callistus Ekenze, has been nominated by Governor Okorocha as replacement for Prince Madumere.

George Onyejiuwa, Owerri

The embattled Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, was yesterday impeached by the State House of Assembly, having found him guilty on alleged gross misconducts.

This was even as the deputy governor had already obtained another court injunction restraining the seven-man investigative panel earlier set up by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Pascal Nnadi.

The State’s Head of Service, Mr. Callistus Ekenze, has been nominated by Governor Rochas Okorocha and immediately cleared by the lawmakers as replacement for Prince Madumere.

The former top civil servant is from Ubomiri Community in Mbaitoli Council area in Owerri Senatorial zone.

The motion for the impeachment was moved by the Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji (Owerri Municipal) and supported by Victor Onyewuchi (Owerri west.)

Journalists were barred from covering the session by Speaker Acho Ihim, who ordered that the door be locked.

In early July, six members of the House, led by its Deputy Speaker, Ugonna

Ozuruigbo, had petitioned the House against Madumere, alleging gross misconduct. They accused him of allegedly absconding from his office without permission, refusal to attend the state executive council and security meetings for a period of 90 days, as well as lying about his being convicted in the US for fraud.

The impeachment of Madumere would be the second in the live of the current administration after Sir Jude Agbaso, who was impeached in 2012.

The impeached deputy governor had been at loggerheads with Governor Rochas Okorocha over the latter’s plan to install his

Chief of Staff and son-in-law, Mr. Uche Nwosu, as his successor in 2019.

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The decision by the state governor had split the party in the state, resulting in majority of the stakeholders forming the Coalition Alliance to thwart the succession plans.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Head of Service, Callistus Ekenze, has been nominated by Governor Okorocha and immediately cleared by the state Assembly as replacement for impeached Madumere.

The former top civil servant is from Ubomiri Community in Mbaitoli Council area of the state from Owerri Senatorial Zone .