The Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, slumped on Wednesday morning while giving evidence before the 7-man panel set up by the state chief judge to investigate him on allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the State House of Assembly.

Onyebuchi was immediately rushed out of the venue of the sitting by his wife, Nneka Ada Onyebuchi, his children and some of his aides to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.

The Deputy Governor had arrived in company of his lawyers. He began his evidence at 9.30 am but collapsed about three hours into his defence.

One of the defence counsels, Peter Eze, said Onyebuchi collapsed five minutes after the Chief of Staff, Ifeoma Nwobodo and the state Attorney General, Anthony Ani, SAN, walked into the court.

Nwobodo was accompanied to the court at about 11am by the State Attorney General in response to the summons served on her on Tuesday to appear before the panel.

A cold war had been brewing between Onyebuchi and Governor Sullivian Chime, a situation which worsened with the Deputy Governor’s declaration of his intension to run for the Enugu east senatorial seat at the National Assembly in 2015.

His ambition angered the governor who is said to have already reserved the slot for Nwobodo, his preferred candidate.

It was gathered that the governor had advised Onyebuchi to resign which would appear more honourable in the sight of the public but Onyebuchi had rejected the option.

As if to compel him, his police details were suddenly withdrawn last month without any explanation.