Journalists barred from Abia dep gov impeachment proceeding

By Ben Agande & Gbenga Akinwunmi
Umuahia — Journalists in Abia were yesterday prevented from covering the proceedings of the seven-man panel investigating the state Deputy Governor, Mr Chris Akomas.

The leader of the team, a Chief Superintendent of Police, who asked not to be named, said  “we have instructions not to allow anybody inside.”

Spokesman for the security operatives numbering more than 200, told  journalists that “we are told that the instruction is from the chief judge of the state.”

Some journalists said they were told that there was a directive that the proceedings should not be covered that the panel would brief newsmen at the end of each sitting.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Chief Anthony Agbazuere, said he would confirm where the instruction came from and urged the journalists to bear with the situation.

Members of the public were not allowed into the venue to watch proceedings while lawyers and workers of the Aguiyi-Ironsi Conference Hall were the only ones allowed in after identification.

The deputy governor’s kinsmen, who came in many hired commercial buses, were kept more than two kilometres from the venue by the security operatives.

CJ denies
Reacting to the ban on covering the proceedings, the Chief Judge, Mr Justice Sunday Imo, denied ever giving any instruction to that effect to anybody.

“I have no hands in what they are doing. Whoever said that I gave the information is telling lies,” he said, pointing out that “it is malicious and damaging’’.

“I don’t know what they are doing,” he said, adding that “you are the one telling me that the panel is sitting today because my job ended with the setting up of the panel.”

He said that in the past the panel was allowed to use the facilities in the court complex, noting that “I made sure that this panel is not in the complex’’.

Imo further said that he took the decision because the court by its nature should be an umpire and must remain neutral to be able to play effective role.

It will be recalled that the House of Assembly on July 15 at its plenary session issued a six_point notice of impeachment against the deputy governor.

Akomas in a reply denied all the allegations, describing the allegation of gross misconduct as false and baseless.

The deputy governor had also challenged the allegations in court.