Embattled deputy governor of Abia State, Comrade Chris Uwa Akomas, has resigned his appointment in a letter dated July 27, 2010, and made available to the Sunday Tribune on Saturday. Addressing journalists in his residential lodge, near Government House, Umuahia, on Saturday, the deputy governor accused Governor Theodore Orji of sponsoring impeachment proceedings against him.

An impeachment panel against the deputy governor, set up by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Sunday Imo, started sitting on Thursday, July 28, 2010.

Prior to the address by the deputy governor on Saturday, the team of lawyers representing him staged a walk-out from the panel, citing alleged illegality by members of the panel as reason for their action.

However, speaking with the Sunday Tribune, the Special Adviser to Governor Orji on Media and Publicity, Chief Anthony Agbazuere, said Comrade Akomas remains the deputy governor of Abia State, having participated throughout the impeachment proceedings, adding that the governor had not received the resignation letter.

Quoting section 306, sub-sections (i) and (ii) of the Constitution, Chief Agbazuere, said authority (ies) that the resignation letter was addressed to should signify receipt of the letter before it takes effect, adding that the deputy governor probably wrote the resignation letter on Saturday.

The governor’s aide said the deputy governor must have seen the handwriting on the wall that he had no good case, adding that the state government would address the matter when it receives the deputy governor’s resignation letter.

In his resignation letter, copied to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief Judge of Abia State and the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, the deputy governor said he submitted the letter to Governor Orji, asking the state government to direct the Accountant General to pay his entitlements and approved expenses of about N425,037,746.00, which he said Governor Orji used his executive powers to withhold.

Comrade Akomas also accused the governor of being unfair to people that worked for his victory since he became the governor of the state, adding that Governor Orji kept him out of the government while he remained loyal and supportive.

He said the governor did not invite him while joining APGA, after leaving PPA, saying that the governor declared him as a public enemy number one.

Comrade Akomas further maintained that he had kept quiet since because of the loyalty and respect he has for  Governor Orji, whom he described as his elder brother, saying that he thought the governor was testing his loyalty with such alleged inconvenient situations.

Meanwhile, the Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji received  cold shoulders from members of the Aba Diocese of the Catholic Church, on Friday, as he could not address the congregation who became rowdy upon his arrival in the church.

Members of the Christ the King Cathedral (CKC) Church in Aba had embarked on a one-week fasting and praying exercise to address the spate of kidnapping in the state. The governor attended the church on Friday as part of the activities closing the prayer week.

But he could not address the gathering as some members of the church started showing uneasy calm, leading the governor to leave the chapel and head for the  bishop’s residence.

Though, some eyewitnesses said that the governor was heckled, his spokesman, Mr. Kingsley Emereuwa  denied that the governor was attacked in Aba.

“There was no such incident. Nobody attacked the governor. We were at the church and we left for the bishop’s house. I don’t know where they got that the governor was attacked.