The Enugu State House of Assembly on Wednesday served impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, through substituted means.
It was gathered that the clerk of the house, Mr. Christopher Chukwurah, served the six-page notice on Onyebuchi by pasting it at his official and private residences in Enugu.
The development followed the adoption of a motion for substituted service by the lawmakers after the clerk reported his inability to personally serve Onyebuchi with the notice, about 48 hours after the house commenced impeachment proceedings.
The deputy governor’s whereabout is still unknown, although it is being speculated that he was in Imo State, or Abuja.
The legislators, who had earlier on Tuesday commenced impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor, opted to serve the notice through alternative means after the clerk briefed them during their sitting on Thursday.
Chukwurah explained that all his efforts to locate Onyebuchi, and serve him with the notice, have been unsuccessful.
The lawmakers, as a result, adopted a motion for substituted service, directing Chukwurah to paste the notice at the deputy governor’s official residence, as well as his private apartments at Savage Crescent, GRA, Enugu, following which the clerk immediately proceeded to comply with the directive after the sitting.
It is also expected that the notice would be posted to Onyebuchi’s email address, as stipulated by the motion for substituted service.
It would be recalled that Enugu State lawmakers commenced impeachment proceedings against Onyebuchi after adopting a Notice of Impeachment moved by the House Leader, Hon. Ude Okoye and seconded by the Deputy Leader, Hon. John Ukuta.
Onyebuchi was accused of abuse of office and disobedience of the lawful directives of Governor Sullivan Chime.
The house in the notice alleged that the deputy governor had between February 2013 and February 2014, wrongfully deployed the resources of his office to resist and ridicule the implementation of the Public Health Policy of the state.
Specifically, he was accused of violating a resolution which prohibits the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis in promotion of public health standards.
Also, the deputy governor was accused of habitually refusing to perform the functions of his office as directed by the governor, pursuant to section 193 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.
According to the notice, Onyebuchi refused to attend the a ceremony held to mark the commencement of the construction of the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 11, 2014, as well as a meeting of the South East Governors’ Forum, which held at the Enugu Government House on Sunday 6, July 2014, even though the governor had directed him to represent him at both events.
However, there are insinuations that Onyebuchi and his principal, Chime, fell out as a result of the deputy governor’s intention to contest the seat of the Enugu East Senatorial District, which the governor’s Chief of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, is also said to be interested in.
Onyebuchi is expected to respond to the allegations contained in the notice, after which the lawmakers will debate the issue. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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