The Abia government has promised to fight the ex parte order barring it from investigating former governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and government employees who worked under his administration.
This is despite the fact that Dr. Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, has replaced Ugochukwu Okoroafor as a member of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds and Related Matters.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu who made the disclosure in Umuahia, described the move by Ikpeazu and others as “laughable” and expressed concerns about the former Governor’s attempt to obstruct the panel’s crucial work.
Otti had on June 27, inaugurated the Panel with a charge to recover all government property and funds allegedly looted during the past administration.
However, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Edward Okpe, earlier in the week, granted an ex parte motion filed by Ikpeazu and three others to restrain the panel from the proposed probe pending the determination of the substantive originating motion on notice
The Commisioner said that the state’s legal team was determined to challenge the court order and added that the ex parte order was an unwarranted interference in the affairs of the state.
Meanwhile, Otti has replaced Okoroafor as a member of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the Recovery of Government Properties and Funds and related matters
In a relaese, personally signed by the Governor, he announced the appointment of Dr. Chukwuemeka Chinyere Okwuonu as a replacement.
According to the release, all other provisions of and persons on the Panel are retained.
The replacement of Okoroafor might not be unconnected with his recent appointment as Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation.