Despite the setback encountered in the impeachment process initiated against the Deputy Governor of Imo state, Sir Jude Agbaso by the state legislature, as the Chief Judge of the state, Hon Justice Njemanze failed to inaugurate a 7-man panel requested by the Imo Assembly as enshrined by the constitution to further investigate the matter, the lawmakers are bent on removing the number two citizen of the state.
Signs that the lawmakers are poised for a showdown with the embattled Deputy Governor emerged yesterday with the fine tuning of the law empowering the state lawmakers as they adopted a motion to prescribe procedures for operation of the seven-man panel to be inaugurated by the Chief judge.
A court action instituted by Sir Agbaso prohibitated the inauguration of the seven-man panel as the CJ had no option than to abort the exercise to avoid subjudice.
However, during yesterday session, the motion contained in order paper 6 of the House under House motion 104 stated that in line with section 188, sub section 100 of the 1999 constitution as amended, the seven man committee will be entitled to three months from the day they were inaugurated to submit their report.
The motion stated that the lawmakers are empowered by section 7 to prescribe procedure for the operation of the panel to investigate the allegation leveled against the Deputy, Sir Agbaso as it has the constitutional right to undertake impeachment process which it has carried out recently.
By this development, the House is set to move ahead with the impeachment pending the report of yet to be inaugurated 7-man panel. The new development is in contrast with unfounded reports that the slow pace recorded by the inability to inaugurate the investigating panel may give room for reconciliation.
