Imo Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere has been impeached by members of state House of Assembly.
19 of the 37 members of the house voted for his impeachment and he was immediately replaced by the Head of Service, Mr Calistus Okenze.
The House took the decision following the recommendations of the ad hoc committee led by Kennedy Ibeh (Obowo APC) investigating the allegations.
The report of the committee which was considered by the House stated that Madumere failed to appear before the committee to clear his name in spite of being served on several occasions.
The deputy governor was accused of abandoning his official duties for three months without reasons or official permission; failure to perform constitutional duties like attending state exco and state security council meeting, failure to attend meetings with the governor and other government functionaries and alleged “concealment of felonious act in the United States.”
His impeachment process was perfected some hours after the ruling of a state High Court by Justice Ben Iheka restrained the legislators and the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Paschal Nnadi, from any further moves regarding the move, pending the hearing and determination of the matter.
The impeached deputy governor had been battling for political survival in the state since he indicated interest in vying for the governorship in 2019 in defiance to Okorocha’s endorsement of his son-in- law, Uche Nwosu.