The Government of Imo State, also called The Imo State Government, consists of the elected representatives and appointed officials responsible for the government of Imo State, Nigeria. Imo State has a population of over 4 to 5 million people, and is one of the 36 states that make up the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The state government is composed of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, whose powers are vested by the Constitution in the House of Assembly, the Governor and the High Court. The judiciary operates independently of the executive and the legislature. At the local level, elected officials are in charge of local government areas.[citation needed]
The executive branch is headed by the Governor and assisted by the Deputy Governor, both of whom are elected. The governor appoints the principal state officers, the heads of parastatals, state-owned bodies, judicial officers, permanent secretaries and members of the Executive Council, except for the deputy. The Civil Service is administered by the head of service, who is a career civil servant, with each ministry managed by a permanent secretary. The commissioner is responsible for policy implementation, while the secretary provides functional continuity and is responsible for operations within the ministry.[citation needed]
The Governor of Imo State is the highest-ranking official, the chief executive officer, and chief security officer of the state. The governor wields significant influence in matters relating to the governance of the state. As in most presidential systems, the governor is both the head of government and head of state. The governor is empowered by the Constitution to preside over the Executive Council, as well as to appoint, dismiss or reappoint its members–excluding the deputy governor–at will. In addition, the governor signs legislation passed by the House into law or vetoes it. Legislation automatically becomes law after 30 days, with or without the governor's signature.[citation needed]
A vote by a two-thirds majority in the House can overrule the governor. The same vote is required to initiate an impeachment process of the governor or his deputy. In all cases where the chief executive is unable to discharge his or her duties, the deputy governor assumes the office of Acting Governor until the governor resumes duty, or until election of a new one.[1]
Since achieving statehood, Imo State has had a total of 7 governors.
The position of Deputy Governor of Imo State constitutes the vice-head of state and government, created when the federation returned to civilian authority under the Second Republic. The official who holds the post is considered the second-highest ranking official in the executive branch. The deputy governor is also seen as the first official in line of succession to the Governor of Imo State, should the office be vacated.[citation needed]
There shall be a House of Assembly for each of the States of the Federation.
Led by a Speaker, the House of Assembly consists of 32 members, each elected to four-year terms in single-member constituencies by plurality. Its primary responsibility is to create laws for the peace, order and effective government of the state.[citation needed]
There are numerous powers the Constitution expressly and specifically grants to the House of Assembly, as they are necessary for its relevance.
The powers include:
the power to approve budget estimates presented to the House by the executive
the power to make laws establishing the chargeable rates and the procedure to be used in assessing and collecting the rates charged by each local government council
the power to confirm gubernatorial appointments
the power to oversee and monitor activities of government agencies
the power to review policy implementation strategies of the executive
the power to summon before it and question a commissioner about the conduct of his or her ministry, especially when the affairs of that ministry are under consideration
the power to initiate an impeachment proceeding in order to secure the removal of the governor or the deputy
Judiciary
The administration of justice in Imo State is one of the fundamental duties of the state judiciary. This branch of government explains and applies the laws through hearings and eventually makes decisions on various legal cases. It has a regulatory or supervisory body known as the Judicial Service Commission, which takes care of the appointment, promotion and disciplinary issues of the judiciary.[citation needed]
The Chief Judge of Imo State is appointed by the Governor of Imo State, then screened and confirmed by the Imo State House Assembly and recommendation of the National Judicial Council. The chief judge is the appointed head of the judicial branch. The chief judge is also the most senior judge and presiding member of the High Court of Justice. Among other responsibilities, the chief judge has the ceremonial duty of administering the oath of office of the Governor of Imo State. In modern tradition, the chief judge retires voluntarily at sixty years of age, or statutorily at sixty-five.[citation needed]
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