Enugu appoints new Deputy Governor

Ralph Ifeanyichukwu Nwoye on Thursday emerged as the new deputy governor of Enugu State.

The office had become vacant after Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi was impeached by members of the Enugu State House of Assembly on Tuesday.

The new deputy governor, a clergy of the Christ Ascension Church, was screened and cleared by the the house of assembly following his nomination by Governor Sullivan Chime.

After the house had returned from a short break during Thursday’s plenary session, the speaker, Hon. Eugene Odoh, read a letter forwarded to the lawmakers by the governor, urging them to expeditiously consider, and approve Nwoye’s nomination.

The break was occasioned by the receipt of the letter.

Relying on the provisions of section 191 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Chime in the letter said Nwoye’s nomination was sequel to the vacancy in the Office of the Deputy Governor.

After the letter had been read, the Leader of the house, Hon. S. K. Ude-Okoye, seconded by the Deputy Leader, Hon. John Ukuta, moved motions for the immediate acceptance and consideration of the letter, and for the nominee’s screening.

Nwoye was then ushered into the chambers of the house for screening, but he ended up just taking a bow after a lawmaker, Hon. John Anichukwu, pleaded with his colleagues that “the reverend gentleman standing before us be allowed to take a bow and leave the chambers.”

Ude-Okoye supported the plea, noting that Nwoye had been screened and cleared by the house in the past, when he was appointed as the commissioner of environment and solid minerals, and had also appeared before the legislators when he served as the elected deputy chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area.

Moving a motion for the house to clear Nwoye, Ude-Okoye said, “By age he is qualified to be the deputy governor of this state, he is qualified by birth.

“He is qualified as a full Nigerian, and by educational qualification, he is qualified to hold this excellent position.”

The house leader added that Nwoye was also qualified due to his conduct as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Nwoye was described as a loyal party man.

“He is qualified by the conduct known by this house as one-time commissioner for environment and solid minerals of this state, and one-time deputy chairman of Nkanu East.

“Twenty-four of us are members of the same party and Rev. Nwoye is our party member and a loyal party man.

“I am moving a motion that this house clear Rev. Nwoye as the deputy governor of Enugu State.”

The lawmakers, through a voice vote, unanimously adopted the motion and cleared Nwoye.

The development came barely 48 hours after Onyebuchi’s impeachment on Tuesday by the Enugu State House of Assembly after a panel of enquiry found him guilty of allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by members of the house.

Onyebuchi was accused of running a poultry in his official residence, in spite of a resolution of the house which outlawed the practice, and also refusing to represent the governor at official functions.

Having denied the allegations in his testimony before the investigative panel, Onyebuchi has said he will challenge his impeachment in court.