Okorocha Withdraws Staff From Deputy Gov, Madumere

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has ordered the withdrawal of all official drivers and administrative staff, from the Deputy Governor’s Office, as Prince Eze Madumere alleges sinister motive behind the act.

A memo, HSI/S.29/S.1/T.3/807, dated October 23, 2018 and signed by one Umelo K.O on behalf of the Head of Service, HOS, Mr. Calistus Ekenze, eight out of the 12 members of staff posted out of the Deputy Governor’s Office, were operational staff and drivers, while the rest are administrative staff, including a senior staff on Data Processing.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, has described the act as “not only shocking but also a clear threat” to his life.

Madumere, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Uche Onwuchekwa, recalled that since his acquittal from the impeachment plot by Justice Benjamin C. Iheka, of Imo State High Court, “there has been gross disregard to the Office of the Deputy Governor”.

He expressed fear over his personal security, with the current resolve of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dasuki Galadanchi, not to restore his security, despite the court verdict since last September.

Onwuchekwa recalled that during the series of impeachment plots to remove the Deputy Governor of Imo State from Office, they raised alarm over the grand plans to harm Prince Madumere, following his stance against the imposition of Governor’s son in-law, Mr. Uche Nwosu, and other irreconcilable issues that bordered on policies.

“We also recall how some members of the domestic staff of the Deputy Governor were approached to be used as agents of death to poison the Deputy Governor. Therefore, Office of the Deputy Governor regrets the tyrannical model of governance approach of the government even in a democracy, where people’s opinion or freedom of Speech, Association and other fundamental rights are not respected”, Onwuchekwa said.

Madumere’s media aide equally regretted that Imo State government should throw caution to the wind by flagrantly refusing to observe ethics, values and respect for the hierarchy of office, in an established organization as a Government, to the extent where the opinion of the Deputy Governor is not sought before an issue as sensitive as posting out staff from the Office of the Deputy Governor by the Head of Service.

“We wish to state categorically that the sudden posting of the operational staff of the Office of the Deputy Governor is a careful plot to compromise the security of Prince Eze Madumere. We therefore view the whole actions and inactions of the government of Imo State, as wholly suspicious and a well-known old preparatory gimmicks before high profile heinous crimes like assassinations are committed”, Onwuchekwa said.

He also used the opportunity to notify the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Imo State and other security agencies, to “take note of the suspicious actions and inactions of Imo State Government, led by His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha”.