BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI—The suit filed by the former Imo State deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, challenging his impeachment suffered a setback yesterday, following a letter written by the defence counsel, Mr. Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, for adjournment.

Opposing the application for adjournment, counsel to the former deputy governor, Prince Ken Njemanze, SAN, told the court presided over by Justice Nonye Okoronkwo, that the matter was time sensitive.

He said: “My Lord, office of the deputy governor is tenured and cannot be extended. Any day lost is a minus for the claimant.

“The defendants can afford to play for time because they have absolutely nothing to lose if the matter is delayed unnecessarily”.

He said the defence appreciated the fact that the matter must be dealt expeditiously, if the miscarriage of justice sought to redress won’t be overtaken by events.

“The application for a long adjournment is in bad fate. It is not proper for counsel to ask an October date for this matter. We only needed to adopt our briefs today and allow the court to do what it knows best”.

Vanguard recalls that Agbaso is seeking 16 declarations from the court, among them that his purported removal on March 28, 2013, as deputy governor by the State House of Assembly, despite the pendency of suit HOW/178/2013, was deliberate disrespect for judicial process, rule of law and breach of the right of fair hearing and accordingly null and void.

Agbaso also sought an order setting aside all the alleged steps taken by the defendants, leading to his purported removal as deputy governor of Imo State.

He equally urged the court to direct the Attorney General to pay or ensure the payment to him of his salaries, allowances, emoluments and generally ensure restoration of all his paraphernalia of office as deputy governor of Imo State.

Before adjourning the matter to July 29, 2013, Justice Okoronkwo assured parties of the preparedness of the court to take a decision either way and in good time.