Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said he attracted the wrath of his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, because he refused to endorse him to be governor in 2019.

“He was Chief of Staff and later deputy governor, which means from May 2011 to the time he was impeached about two months ago, he was the second in command in the government. And he is still struggling to remain as deputy governor and also as aspiring to be governor at the same time. Men like Prince Madumere are bitter or ugly case-studies,” he said.

He said government has appealed the last Tuesday’s court ruling that reinstated Madumere as deputy.

This came as Madumere resumed office, yesterday, for the first time since the impeachment saga began with the full complement of his security details.

In his ruling, Justice B. C. Iheaka of the Imo High Court, had voided the impeachment of Madumere, saying it did not follow due process.

Okorocha, in a statement by his media aide, said: “We have read it and the crux of the judgment is that the Chief Judge of the State constituted the seven-man investigation panel outside the seven-day approved by law.”

He added: “We hold nothing against the trial judge and we shall continue to hold the judge and the judiciary in high esteem.

“We also want to inform the general public that all the relevant parties in the matter have filed their appeals against the judgment and the motion of stay of execution has also been filed.”

Despite his travail, Madumere has said he would continue to respect Governor Okorocha.

“Governor Rochas Okorocha is my boss and will always remain my boss as long as I am the Deputy Governor of Imo State. I don’t have any grudges against anybody. Those who orchestrated the impeachment plot against me, I have forgiven you.”

Amid jubilation following his victory, Madumere unveiled his agenda for the people of the state.

Speaking at his Project Madumere Campaign office, Owerri, where he formally announced his governorship ambition, he reeled out his seven-point social contract with the people of Imo state.

“My covenant with Imo will be based on the following: Youth Empowerment, which will be anchored
on Agriculture and Agro-business, Information & Communication Technology and Entrepreneurship across the local government areas of the State.

“Massive industrialisation and job creation with foreign partners and emphasis on local raw materials,” he said.

He revealed the need to strengthen the educational systems with effective quality assurance mechanisms with a view to uplifting higher Institutions to what it should be and make it more competitive.

He also promised to rebuild the health sector with the assistance of foreign partners. He said his government would emphasise on locally sourced personnel to reduce unnecessary medical pilgrimage abroad and to ensure affordable intensive health care.

• Sourced from a Daily Sun report