Impeachment Of IMO Deputy Governor Case: Jude Agbaso Wins Round One





A High Court sitting in Owerri has ruled in favour of the impeached Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso granting him leave to withdraw the suit he filed last month challenging his impeachment.

This followed an objection earlier raised by counsel to the Imo State Government some weeks ago trying to stop Agbaso’s application to withdrawal the suit. The matter was slated for ruling on June 4 2013 but surprisingly, the ruling was delivered on 29th June 2013.

It could be remembered that last month, the Imo State Government commenced impeachment proceedings against Sir Agbaso over collection of 458 Million Naira from a contractor handling a road project in Owerri. While the impeachment process was on-going, Sir Agbaso filed two cases challenging the impeachment procedure. In one of the cases, Agbaso tried to stop his impeachment through a Fundamental Right Enforcement Procedure but the court struck it out on lack of jurisdiction. It is said that Agbaso is challenging the sticking-out of this case at the Court of Appeal.

On the other hand, the withdrawn case was challenging the procedure adopted by the Imo Government for Agbaso’s impeachment. Incidentally, while this case was still pending in court, the Emekuku-Born former Deputy Governor was impeached.

Information from Sir Agbaso’s group says that the withdrawal of the suit was strategic as it would enable the embattled former Imo number two citizen file a fresh suit that will completely take care of all the alleged perceived flaws in his impeachment.

However, emerging facts have it that the said =N=458 Million bribe allegedly collected by Sir Agbaso from the contractor has been traced to the contractor’s foreign accounts in Dubai and Lebanon. These facts seem to be indicting Imo Government as one of the Governor’s close aides is said to be a director in the contractor’s company.

Ironically, since the emerging facts came to lime light, the state government has not refuted this indictment.

Meanwhile, many top Government Officials in the state have been guests to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over the bribery scam.