We Couldn’t Indict Kogi Dep Governor, Yet Lawmakers Impeached Him – Panel Chairman

John Baiyeshea, chairman of the panel set up to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Kogi State deputy governor, Simon Achuba, has described the latter’s impeachment by lawmakers on Friday as “the most bizarre thing that I have ever heard in my life,” saying his committee could not prove the allegations levelled against Achuba.

According to Baiyeshea, the report of the panel was submitted when the house was not in session.

In accordance with the law, the lawmakers could not have commenced impeachment proceedings since the panel could not prove the allegations against Achuba, he said.

“This is the most bizarre thing that I have ever heard in my life,” he said in an interview.

“We submitted the report to the speaker around 1pm and I left Lokoja for Abuja. I was at Gwagwalada area when one of the panel’s members who had not left Lokoja called to tell me that he saw it on television that the deputy governor had been impeached.

“As far as the report that we submitted to the house of assembly is concerned, the committee returned the decision that all the allegations were not proved. What the constitution said by section 188(8) is that, ‘once the panel returns a verdict like that. No further proceedings can be taken on it.’

“That is it. It is only when the panel returns a verdict that allegations have been proved (to be true) that they can go ahead within 40 days. When did the house sit? We delivered the documents and the house was not even in session today.”

On the allegations of financial misappropriation, “deliberate disdain” for decisions of Kogi executive council and absconding from official duties among others lvelled against Achuba, the panel made it clear that they could not be substantiated.

It said, “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.”

Kogi governor, who had been at loggerheads with his deputy, has picked Edward Onoja, his running mate, to replace Achuba as deputy governor.