The Imo State government, House of Assembly and other affected parties have appealed a judgment of an Owerri High Court quashing the impeachment of Prince Eze Madumere as deputy governor.
Justice Benjamin Iheka had on Tuesday nullified the July 21, 2018 exercise by the legislature citing constitutional breaches.
He specifically held that Madumere was denied fair hearing and castigated the concerned parties, including Chief Judge Paschal Nnadi and Attorney General Militus Nlemadim, for allegedly undermining the provisions of Section 188 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as flouting an order of court.
But in a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Governor Rochas Okorocha said the defendants had filed separate appeals and a motion of stay of execution after reviewing the judgment.
The release read: “The judgment on the impeachment of Prince Eze Madumere was delivered on Tuesday, September 25, 2018. We had withheld reaction because we needed to read it and acquaint ourselves with its crux.
“We have read it, and the crux of the judgment delivered by Hon Justice B.C. Iheka is that the Chief Judge of the state constituted the seven-man investigative panel outside the seven days approved by law.
“We hold nothing against the trial judge and we shall continue to hold the jurist and the judiciary in general in high esteem.
“We also want to inform the public that all the parties in the matter have filed their appeals against the judgment and a motion for stay of execution has also been filed.”
It added: “We have also read the press statement Prince Madumere issued and signed as deputy governor few minutes after the judgment.
“The fact remains that Prince Madumere is confused. He does not know what he wants.
He signed the statement as deputy governor and at the same time, parading himself as governorship aspirant on the platform of (the All Progressives Congress), APC, and of course, about 48 hours to the party’s primary.
“In his statement, he thanked two other governorship aspirants in the state on the platforms of APGA and PDP, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and Chief Emeka Ihedioha, for their contributions to his legal victory.
“Prince Eze Madumere had thanked Chiefs Ohakim and Ihedioha whose support for him was targeted at Governor (Rochas) Okorocha and APC in the state, but heavily insulted the man who took him up from the floor where he was to the level he is today.”
