UPDATE: Court declares ex-Kogi deputy governor’s impeachment illegal
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A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, has, on Thursday, declared the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, illegal.
ElombahNews had reported on October 18, 2019, that Deputy Governor Achuba was impeached by members of the State House of Assembly.
House Leader, Hassan Bello Abdulahi, representing Ajaokuta state constituency, said Achuba was impeached following consideration of the report of the John Bayeshea-led committee.
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Consequently, the embattled Deputy Governor had dragged the State House of Assembly to court following the impeachment moves.
In a suit filed at the State High Court in Lokoja, Achuba challenge the impeachment notice on the pretext that it was served out of time and marred with irregularities.
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After months of deliberations, the court declared Achuba’s impeachment illegal, null and void.
Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, Justice John Olorunfemi said Achuba’s impeachment from office by the Assembly is a violation of the constitution.
Justice Olorunfemi also held that the subsequent nomination of Edward Onoja as the deputy governor did not follow due process
The judge described the action of the Kogi House of Assembly as a constitutional coup, hatched and executed in a democracy.
He further maintained that the action is contrary to Section 188 subsection 8.
The section stopped the lawmakers from further action after it was discovered that the former deputy governor was not found guilty of any offence by the panel.
