Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said he will obey court order on his deputy, Eze Madumere.
Okorocha made the pledge on Tuesday, saying he would respect a court ruling directing a halt to the swearing-in of a new deputy governor of the state, Calistus Ekenze.
Madumere, was removed on Monday by 19 of the 27 members of the state assembly on allegations of gross misconduct.
He was removed on the same day a court in the state ordered a suspension of the removal proceedings. The Imo State House of Assembly had ignored the court order to impeach Madumere.
Madumere and Okorocha have been having a clash over who succeeds the governor.
Okorocha is backing his son-in–law, Uche Nwosu, to succeed him in office, leading to cracks in his relationship with Madumere and the state All Progressive Congress in recent months.
A statement from Okorocha’s spokesperson, Sam Onwuemeodo, quoted the governor as saying he will abide by the court order.
He urged residents to remain law-abiding ”while justice is served”.
The statement reads:
The Scheduled swearing-in of the new Deputy-Governor of the State, Calistus Ekenze, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018 by 9am, could not take place again following the directive by the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, that the Interim Court Order restraining the Chief Judge of the State from carrying out the exercise be fully obeyed.
The venue of the scheduled swearing-in, the Sam Mbakwe Exco Chamber, was full to the brim by guests including Senior government functionaries and APC leaders in the State when the governor’s directive came through the Attorney-General of the State, Barr. M.O. Nlemedim in respect of the Court Order.
The governor had insisted that the interim order be obeyed not minding some issues raised by senior lawyers in the government against the order, insisting that his administration must continue to obey valid court orders and also served on the government or agents of the government.
It should be recalled that the nineteen (19) members of the State House of Assembly had on Monday, July 30, 2018 impeached the former Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere following the submission last Friday, of the report of the panel that investigated the accusations against him.
It should also be recalled that the Deputy-Governor had earlier got an order against the impeachment process, on July 5, 2018 by a State High Court, but the Order was vacated and described as a “nullity” by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja presided over by Justice O.A Musa on July 16, 2018.
The governor has urged all Imo people and all the parties in the matter to remain law-abiding and allow the law to take its course.