Kogi Deputy Gov. Impeachment: Sen. Abaribe Call For Buhari’s Intervention

The Upper chamber minority leader, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the impeachment of the Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba.

Abaribe, in a statement on Monday, urged the president to rise above party affiliations and intervene to ensure the country’s constitution was protected, if the authorities in Kogi state failed to do so.

The minority leader also advised judges in Kogi, particularly the Chief Justice to borrow a leaf from the Imo State experience and shun any invitation to swear-in a new deputy governor in whatever manner.

Abaribe declared the scene as `reprehensible’ and deliberate denigration of the country’s constitution, for the Kogi State Assembly to go ahead impeaching the deputy governor.

He said the impeachment happened after the set up panel by the State Chief Judge to investigate him returned a no-guilty verdict.

“Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as Amended is very emphatic in the circumstance that is to say that the State Assembly shall cease any further proceedings in the impeachment process.

“Specifically, Section 188(8) 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.

Abaribe warned that with the direct affront on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the actions of the State Assembly, the very foundations of the country had been utterly shaken.

“The 1999 Constitution as amended is the ground norm of the country and the Kogi Assembly has committed a heinous breach of this sacred document”.

Abaribe therefore call on institutions of democracy to urgently activate the right principles in the defence of our democracy.

Abaribe expressed concern on how the assembly acted swiftly and in the middle of the night to impeach Achuba less than 30 minutes on receiving the not-guilty report from the panel.