It’s like a prophecy fulfilled. Just early this afternoon News Express reported that the road had become clear for the impeachment of embattled Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso,

after an Imo High Court sitting in the capital city of Owerri struck out his suit seeking to restrain the state House of Assembly from ousting him.

But few people could have foreseen the speed with which it would be done, for as you read this, Agbaso has been impeached and replaced as Deputy Governor.

News Express learnt that the process of his impeachment was fast-forwarded when he failed to appear before the seven-man panel set up by the state Chief Judge to investigate the allegations leveled against him.

Consequently, the state House of Assembly met, with all but one of the 26 lawmakers cutting across the parties voting to impeach him.

Agbaso was promptly replaced with the erstwhile Chief of Staff, Prince Eze Madumere, who was nominated by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

Agbaso, who doubled as Commissioner for Works, had been slammed with five impeachable offences, according to the “particulars of misconduct” issued by the state Chief Judge, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, on March 15 while inaugurating a seven-man judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the allegations against the deputy governor.

Chief among the alleged offences is that corruptly enriched by causing Mr. Joseph Dina of JPROS International Nig. Ltd. to transfer the sum of N458 million into his private account, thus making it impossible for the contractor to complete a major road contract awarded him by the state government. Agbaso maintains that he is innocent and a victim of political witch-hunt.

•Photo: Former Imo State Deputy Governor, Sir. Jude Agbaso.