You noticed that the political development lately in Kogi State has made our International Blog site ( OurWorldGist ) a local blog site because of our desire to bring you political chese game in the state as gubernatorial election scheduled for November 16th 2019 is fast approaching.
One of our junior reporters, Samson Ede based in Calabar called our chief Editor on Friday afternoon to say, “Sir, am seeing something like impeachment of Kogi State Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba but no newspaper or blog site can really give detail report why he was impeached…”
Our Chief Editor, quickly cut the call and placed a call to one of our finest writers, Sani Michael Omakoji, to urgently do investigative report on the purported impeachment of Kogi State deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba before the weekend runs out.
Sani Michael Omakoji, wholeheartedly agreed and later came up with this reaction.
” I, Sani Michael Omakoji, is not a lawyer but Nigerian constitution is not written in Arabic neither in German language that I cannot read and understand.
When I heard about the purported impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Kogi State in person Elder Simon Achuba, the first thing that occured to me was to lay my hands on the report on the seven (7) man panel of inquiry set up by Kogi State Chief Judge to investigate allegations against Elder Simon Achuba.
I won’t raise an eyebrow how the seven man panel of enquiry was set up by Kogi State judiciary but let me say here that as fate will have it, the seven man panel of inquiry turned out to be men of proven integrity that I, Sani Michael Omakoji has come across.
Hence, the idea of thinking that the report might be tainted or manipulated was discarded from on set.
While I wouldn’t want to bother you with thirty three (33) pages of the panel report, it is expedient to draw our attention to the conclusion or summary of the report which state, ” In line with Section 188(8) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) quoted herein before, we hereby report to the Kogi State
House of Assembly that the allegations contained in the Notice of Allegations admitted in evidence by this Panel as Exhibit C7 have NOT BEEN PROVED: Dated this _18th_ day of, 2019 under the hands of
John Baiyeshea, SAN (Chairman)
Hon. Justice S. S. Idajili (Rtd.) (Member)
Barrister U. O. Onoja (Member)
Barrister E. I. Omuya (Member)
Venerable Z. O. Asun (Member)
Engr. Muhammad Ada Shuaibu (Member)
Dr. I. Ndagi Adamu (Member)”.
From the above extract which stands as the summary of the entire thirty three pages report, the Panel concluded in both oral and texual evidences that allegations labelled against the Deputy Governor by Kogi State House Assembly CANNOT BEEN PROVED.
It may interest you to know that Nigerian constitution further states that, “Where the Panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has NOT BEEN PROVED, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter”.
Disheartenly, despite this clear constitutional provision, the Kogi State House of Assembly purported yesterday removed or impeached the Deputy Governor of Kogi state.
Now if I may ask, ‘is kogi state House of Assembly bound by Nigerian constitution or they have another constitution outside Nigerian Constitution?
What kind of country is Nigeria becoming in this dispensation where Nigerian constitution is ignored and bye passed for primordial partisan interest?
I may not be brave but I am not a coward to say the truth.
Again, must Kogi State House of Assembly be loyal to the political emperor of the state at the detriment of Nigerian Constitution?
Must we desecrate our constitution to satisfy personal egoism of individuals?
Sincerely, if something is not done urgently, the Nigeria state is heading to or in the state of nature where rule of law means nothing to political Desperadoes.
Most disturbing in the face of this illegality is to see some supposed read individuals from the state to start congratulating Enward Onojah as the Deputy Governor nominee to replace Elder Simon Achuba.
Recall that Chief David Onojah has earlier the week Wenesday 16th October, 2019 tendered his redignation as the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello.
As I conclude, Chief David Onojah’s resignation on Wenedday earlier the week and the purported impeachment of the Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, reminds me of my Macro Economics Lecturer during my undergraduate studies at Kogi State University, Anyigba, in person of late Enimola who used to say, “a Witch carried all through the night, and a child died in the morning…”
Finally, if late Anthony Enahoro who moved the motion for self government in 1958 should resurrect, am sure he will regret seeing those who have no idea the prize paid to gain independent destroying Nigerian democray today”.
Sani Michael Omakoji
Public Affairs Analyst
Abuja – Nigeria.
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