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Ebere Uzoukwa
As I compose this piece, every plan designed to offload Prince Eze
Madumere as the deputy governor of Imo State has been solidly perfected to
achieve that singular purpose. Upon his ouster via impeachment, Madumere
would become the second Imo deputy governor easily disposed by Gov. Rochas
Okorocha within the lifeline of his rescue mission administration.
The Ideato-born governor of Imo State on the other hand shall be
remembered either for good or bad having made history as the Nigerian
governor that induced and sponsored impeachment processes of his two
deputies within his 8-year constitutional tenure.
Okorocha’s penchant for impeachment of his deputies reared its ugly head
in March 2013 when his erstwhile deputy, Sir Jude Agbaso, was
controversially shown the exit door on allegations of corruption and
contract malfeasance. It is imperative to recall at this juncture that Sir
Agbaso was hurriedly drafted into the political turf following a
concessional truce that offered Okorocha the All Progressives
Alliance(APGA) platform through which he contested the 2011 Imo
governorship. Chief Martin Agbaso nominated his younger brother, Sir Jude
Agbaso, as the deputy governorship candidate to fill the slot allocated to
him.
Suffice to say that Agbaso’s impeachment as deputy governor of Imo State
was more political than the allegations Okorocha and his men trumped up
against him. His elder brother, Chief Martin Agbaso, had disagreed with
Okorocha in some political issues that largely bothered on the future of
APGA. While Okorocha intended to sacrifice APGA as a political party on
the alter of merger the midwifed the All Progressives Congress(APC), Chief
Agbaso and Sen. Victor Umeh, the then APGA chairman vehemently opposed
such move. Every effort and gimmick dissipated and displayed by Okorocha
towards convincing Umeh and Chief Agbaso yielded nothing positive. As the
situation became, the development frostily injured Okorocha’s relationship
with Agbaso’s family including Sir Jude, the then deputy governor.
Sir Jude Agbaso was later isolated and dreaded as a spy and mole that
revealed government confidentialities and secrets to perceived political
opponents and enemies which included his elder brother, Chief Martin
Agbaso. It, then, became a necessity that Sir Jude Agbaso must vacate his
office. The idea of impeachment was hatched and muted. As the commissioner
for Works, his cupboard was ransacked thoroughly in search of available
skeletons. Indeed, one was found. The J-Pros contact saga was lifted up
and allegations of corruption curiously manufactured to justify his
impeachment. Agbaso was served a notice of impeachment and subsequently
impeached by the House over an allegation that he demanded and collected
N458 million bribe from J-PROS Limited, a construction firm handling the
rehabilitation of Sam Mbakwe Road in Owerri, the state capital. His denial
to the allegation never stopped his impeachment.
That was how Sir Jude Agbaso was impeached and discarded thus paving the
way for Madumere, the then Chief of Staff to emerge the deputy governor of
Imo State. Madumere, who prided himself as the closest confidant to
Okorocha and a loyal political son was retained as he paired and
re-contested with Okorocha in 2015 to remain the deputy governorship of
Imo State till date.
Today, Madumere is ostensibly paying the price in two pronounced ways.
Firstly, the embattled Imo deputy governor has begun to reap what he
contributed and helped Okorocha to sow in Imo. Without any fear of
contradictions, the Mbaitoli-born and self-acclaimed ‘master strategist’
is naturally caught up by the law of Karma and equity distributive
justice. As an insider then, I can recall vividly how Madumere was roving
around the House of Assembly complex and Sen. Ben Uwajimogu’s residence,
who was the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly solidifying grounds for
the impeachment of Sir Jude Ejiogu. I can also remember without
contradictions his sleepless nights as a result midnight meetings with the
strongmen of the 7th Imo Assembly which constituted the likes of Hon.
Ikenna Emeh, Hon. Simeon Iwunze, Sen. Samdaddy Anyanwu, now representing
Owerri Senatorial District in the National Assembly and Hon. Stan Dara.
Needless to say that Madumere played the dirty politics for Okorocha
tailored and orchestrated to ensure the impeachment of Sir Jude Agbaso,
his brother, from Owerri zone.
Also on the other hand, Madumere is literally paying the costly price for
displaying good conscience and high sense of morality in politics. In
2010/2011, Okorocha promised and sworn during his campaigns to run a
single term of four years and hand over power to Owerri zone. As a matter
of fact, Okorocha claimed that his programmes under the ‘Rescue Mission’
were tenured to run speedily for only four years. In 2014/2015, Okorocha
reneged and contested for second term under the platform of All
Progressives Congress(APC).
Prince Madumere played key roles in mobilizing substantial support for
Okorocha which resulted to a landslide victory in Owerri and Mbaike
Federal Constituencies of Owerri zone. The deputy governor was entirely
the engine room and the planner that championed and coordinated some
sensitive and behind-the-scene activities that aided Okorocha’s victory in
2015.
As he played those roles, Madumere had expected his boss, Gov. Okorocha,
to either support his governorship bid or any other aspirant from Owerri
zone. That expectation was, however, dashed as Okorocha rather
stage-managed and masterminded the endorsement of his son-inlaw, Ugwumba
Uche Nwosu, who also hails from the same Orlu Senatorial Zone with him.
Also through his controversial ‘mock primaries’, Okorocha awarded the
Owerri Senatorial Seat slot to Madumere with a compelling order that he
must support and mobilize for Nwosu’s victory as the next governor of Imo
State.
It is also worthy to establish that Madumere had the option of betraying
his people and Owerri zone by sustaining his loyalty to Okorocha and
possibly catapult himself to the Senate after enjoying all dividend
accruable to the office of the deputy governor. But, the soft-spoken Imo
deputy governor preferred to stay with his people at the expense of his
plum job. Though there are few and insignificantly low but dissenting
voices against his morally induced opposition against what many have
christened Okorocha’s ‘third term agenda’ superimposed and trickily laced
on his son-inlaw’s gubernatorial ambition, Madumere’s reputation and
popularity in Imo political turf has enviably skyrocketed to a higher
altitude. He is cerebrally admired by many who see and mirror the moral
and conscientious substances his current disposition convey in the
political arena.
With the purchased signatories of about 13 members of Imo House of
Assembly, including Hon. Chinedu Offor, member representing Onuimo State
Constituency, whose signature for the impeachment of Madumere flooded my
eyes into tears, considering how dearly the deputy governor motivated and
aided his rise and elevation from SSA to the Governor on Media,
Commissioner for Information and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor
before his subsequent political venture into the state assembly, one could
easily conclude without any reservation that Madumere is already a goner.
According to reports emanating from the Imo State House of Assembly,
Madumere is ‘fallaciously’ accused of the followings: (1) Abandoning his
duties for three months, (2) Refusal to Attend State Executive Council
Meetings and other Government’s functions and (3) Imprisonment by American
Government.
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo, popularly known as OZB moved
the motion for an impeachment process to be served on Madumere.
The Speaker, Hon. Acho Ihim, expressly admitted that the petition met and
surpassed the required one -third as provided for in Section 188 (2) 11 of
the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Imo Assembly is made up of 27 members, but four members who were
sympathetic to Madumere were, penultimate weekend, suspended on alleged
‘unparliamentary conduct’ apparently to pave way for his ouster.
A six -man committee headed by member, representing Obowo LGA, Hon.
Kennedy Ibe, was eventually set up to probe the allegations and report
back to the House within seven days.
Now, will Okorocha succeed in fostering his son-inlaw and Chief of Staff,
Uche Nwosu, as his successor and next governor of Imo State after
Madumere’s impeachment using the platform of APC in 2019? Is Madumere
considering resignation at least to avert the humiliation that may be
occasioned by a disgraceful impeachment? What danger does Madumere’s
impeachment portends to Imo polity, APC as a political party, and the
people of Owerri zone? Are the people of Owerri ready to swallow another
dose of humiliation from Okorocha after voting for him in 2011 and 2015
governorship elections? What can the people of Owerri zone do between now
and 2019 to redeem their dwindling political fortune? Only time will tell.