Falana reacts to court order stopping replacement of Okorocha’s Deputy
State judiciary for stopping the swearing-in of deputy
governor-designate of the state.
The Imo State House of Assembly had on Monday defied a court's
restraining order and went on to impeach Eze Madumere as the Deputy
Governor of the state.
Governor Rochas Okorocha had nominated Calistus Ekenze as a replacement.
But a court in the State gave order against plan to swear-in Ekenze as
the new deputy governor.
Reacting to the development, Falana in a statement commended the Imo
State judiciary, calling on the Nigerian Bar Association to ensure
that the order of the Chief Judge of the state was complied with.
He said: "A few days ago, Honourable Justice Ben Iheka of the Imo
State High Court granted an order of interlocutory injunction
restraining the impeachment panel constituted by the Chief Judge of
Imo State, the Honourable Justice Padcal Nnadi, from entertaining the
allegations against Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere, the Deputy Governor of
Imo State.
"In a demonstration of brazen contempt of court, the House of Assembly
ignored the valid and subsisting court order and hurriedly passed a
resolution for the purported impeachment of Prince Madumere as Deputy
Governor of Imo State.
"Instead of calling the legislators to order by asking them to purge
themselves of contempt of court Governor Okorocha announced Mr.
Calistus Ekenze as the new Deputy Governor.
"Governor Rochas Okorocha directed the Chief Judge of Imo State to
swear in the so-called new Deputy Governor.
"However, the Chief Judge rightly turned down the contemptuous
directive of Governor Okorocha to swear in Mr. Ekenze as Deputy
Governor of the State.
"In a historic solidarity with the Chief Judge, all the other Judges
in High Court of Imo State have resolved not to lend judicial weight
to the subversion of the rule of law by the legislative and executive
organs of the Imo State Government.
"While commending the Imo State judiciary for upholding the basic
tenet of the rule of law we call on the Nigerian Bar Association and
all democratic forces in the country to ensure that the order of the
Chief Judge is fully complied with.
"Let the legislators and Governor Okorocha purge themselves of
contempt of court by continuing to recognise Prince Madumere as the
Deputy Governor of Imo State pending the determination of the pending
suit before the State High Court on the validity of the impeachment
proceedings adopted by the House of Assembly of Imo State
No comments
Post a Comment