The Kogi State House of Assembly has urged the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba.
Meanwhile, a High Court sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, has reportedly granted an injunction restraining State House of Assembly and the Chief Judge, from deliberating or taking any further action in respect of the impeachment, pending the determination of the case in court.
The Assembly passed the resolution on Tuesday at plenary in Lokoja.
This followed the adoption of a motion by the Majority Leader, Abdullahi Bello-Balogun, calling for investigation into the allegations.
He said that the motion was sequel to the issuance of a notice of allegations to the deputy governor two weeks ago.
Bello-Balogun explained that Achuba evaded service of the notice on him and also directed that none of his aides should receive any correspondence from the House of Assembly.
He said the motion was in line with Section 188(3) which requires the Chief Judge to set up the seven-man panel to investigate the allegations.
“The deputy governor’s open vilification of Governor Yahaya Bello and the state government, as well as the alleged discrete and open support for candidates of the opposition parties during the presidential, national and state assembly elections, in February and March, this year, across the state amounted to gross misconduct,” Bello-Balogun said,
Seconding the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Mohammed, described the situation as worrisome.
He said that the seven-man committee should be made up of persons of impeccable character as outlined in the Constitution.
Ruling on the motion, Speaker Matthew Kolawole put the question to ascertain those who supported the motion. All 19 members at the plenary supported the motion.
Kolawole directed the Clerk of the Assembly to communicate the resolution to the Chief Judge for him to constitute the panel within seven days.
