The Brazilian Superior Electoral Court decided unanimously on Friday to impeach Tocantins state governor Marcelo Miranda for abuse of power, Xinhua reported.
The state's vice governor Paulo Sidnei Antunes had his term abrogated as well. However, the two officials will be allowed to remain in their positions until all the possible appeals have been judged.
Miranda and Antunes were accused of promising favors to voters in exchange of votes, placing people in public service positions through irregular means, distributing items paid with public money and irregularly using the government's communication tools.
The accusations were made by former Tocantins governor Jose Wilson Siqueira Campos, who ranked second in the 2006 state elections.
Campos had hoped to automatically inherit the governor position, but the court determined that indirect elections will take place in the state if Governor Miranda's impeachment is confirmed. In that case, any citizen in the state will be able to run, except the impeached governor and vice governor.
However, Governor Miranda's lawyers alleged that there was no proof of any wrongdoing.