Court stops swearing-in of Imo Deputy Gov designate Ekenze
A state High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital, on Tuesday, stopped the swearing-in ceremony of the deputy governor designate, Callistus Ekenze.
Mr. Ekenze before his new appointment was the state Head of Service.
The Daily Times reports that invited guests left the venue of the ceremony after waiting for several hours for the swearing-in of the deputy governor designate following the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Eze Madumere, on Monday, by the state House of Assembly.
Governor Rochas Okorocha and other government officials were visiblly angry as the court had ordered the state Chief Judge not to go on with the swearing-in ceremony.
While guests, especially the deputy governor designate and his family members were waiting for the CJ to commence the oath of office and allegiance rites, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Militus Nlemadium, broke what became the news to the audience in the Sam Mbakwe hall.
The stare AG told the audience that the there was a court order made by Owerri High Court on Tuesday morning stopping the CJ from swearing-in the deputy governor designate.
A staff in the office of the State Chief Judge who pleaded not to be mentioned said that the CJ told the governor that it would be wrong for him to be seen to be disobeying a court order.
The source said that the CJ mandated the governor to vacate the order if he would swear In Ekenze as the new deputy governor.
The state AG told the guests not to despair as the government had filed all legal process to set aside the court order.
Our correspondent gathered that the interim order stopping the swearing-in ceremony followed a suit instituted by Madumere on Tuesday morning challenging his impeachment by the state legislature.
