A new twist is hovering over the political intrigues that led to the eventual impeachment of Simon Achuba as the deputy governor of Kogi state.
Achuba was on Friday, October 19, impeached as Kogi deputy governor by the state House of Assembly.
However, John Baiyeshea, the chairman of the panel set up to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Achuba said his committee did not indict him.
Baiyeshea said the panel could not prove the allegations levelled against the impeached deputy governor. He described the impeachment announcement as “the most bizarre thing that I have ever heard in my life.”
Baiyeshea also said that there was no way the lawmakers could have initiated impeachment proceedings since the panel could not prove the allegations against Achuba.
Achuba was accused of financial misappropriation and other offences but the panel stated that all the allegations could not be substantiated.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Nov. 16, Governorship Election in Kogi, Mr Musa Wada, has described impeachment of the state Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba, by the State House of Assembly as illegal and undemocratic.
Wada said this in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Public Communications Committee of the PDP Campaign Council, Mr Austin Okai, on Saturday in Lokoja.
Wada said the state lawmakers set aside the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry that investigated the sundry allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Achuba and exonerated him of any wrong doing.
The PDP governorship candidate said the action of the lawmakers amounted to “complete miscarriage of justice.”
“The purported impeachment is unacceptable, illegal, immodest, null and void. The decision is a complete departure from the recommendation of the panel that investigated the allegations,” he said.
The PDP candidate urged the leadership of state not to replace Achuba to avoid “wanton political profligacy”.
He also described as haphazard, decision of the state government to swear in the governor’s former Chief of Staff, Chief Edward Onoja, on Saturday, as Achuba’s replacement.
Wada cautioned the state government against over-heating the polity in the state.
