From all indication, the flaunting of court processes and orders has gradually become part of the Okorocha led administration in Imo State either to buy time or discredit the judiciary.
Recently, the state counsel led by K.C. Nwokorie defending the state govt in the suit instituted against it by the beneficiaries of the dissolved 10,000 job scheme was sacked and a private counsel, Barr Eddy Onyema was hire.
Barr Onyema made his first appearance for the Govt on the 23rd Jan where he ask for adjournment to enable him take a critical study of the processes, submissions and defense as filed by his predecessor and the claimants’ counsel Barr Wisdom Durueke, in order to file his own new defense. The court granted his adjournment request and gave him seven (7) days to file all the necessary paper (defense) and fourteen (14) days for the claimants’ counsel to reply.
In his submission, Barr Onyema submitted that there was never any Imo State Govt Scheme like 10,000 job for the youths by Imo state govt let alone any recruitment, examinations, interviews or offer of appointment by the Imo State Civil Service Commission to the claimants. Therefore has no document on the claimed scheme to tender as requested by the claimants.
However, this new submission/defense has in no small measured contradicted the submissions of the Barr Nwokorie led counsel and all the verification exercises carried out by the Okorocha led govt on the same 10,000 job scheme. The Govt through the counsel admitted the existence and reality of the 10,000 job scheme earlier but averred that the govt has the power to hire and fire, that the beneficiaries have no constitutional right (Locus standi) to sue the govt, all these were argued through a preliminary motion and the govt lost. The govt also admitted the existence of the scheme but accused the scheme of irregularities and spent state fund in several verification exercises. All these are believe to contradicted the denial defense of Barr Onyema when the hearing beings on the 6th of March at the National Industry Court Enugu.
Feelers reaching Imo Trumpeta have it that Barr Nwokorie has been suspended on alleged incompetence, when a call was put through to him to verify the rumour. He said that he is still with the Ministry of Justice and nobody can sack or suspend him.
