Court declares ex-Kogi dep gov’s impeachment illegal


 

A High Court in Lokoja, Kogi state capital  Thursday declared as illegal and unconstitutional, the removal of  former deputy governor of the state, Simon Achuba from office  by the state House of Assembly.

The case between Elder Simon Achuba vs KSHA and 29 others had been on since August last year.

The presiding judge, Justice John Olorunfemi, while delivering judgement on the matter, described the action of the House of Assembly as “legislative rascality” that cannot stand anywhere.

He stated that since the seven-man panel set up by the state chief judge to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct against the claimant by the state assembly, submitted that the allegation could not be proved, further action on the matter ought to have been discontinued based on section 188 of the constitution.

Justice Olorunfemi wondered why those that ordinarily ought to make laws for the good governance of the country would turn out to be law breakers.

He subsequently held that the removal of the claimant by the 1st to the 25th defendants amount to flagrant abuse of the constitution.

Justice Olorunfemi further held that the swearing in of the 29th defendants by the Chief Judge after his nomination and confirmation by the state assembly was in order, as the 30th defender was simply performing his constitutional role being the Chief Judge of the state.

He, therefore, stressed the need for legal practitioners to always watch utterances that tend to portray the judiciary or the court in bad light, being co-worshippers in the temple of justice.

Leave a Reply