By Boluwaji Obahopo

LOKOJA—Kogi State House of Assembly, yesterday, initiated moves to impeach the state’s Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba.

Simon Achuba

The impeachment move was sequel to a petition by 21 out of the 25 lawmakers.

The deputy governor had been at loggerheads with the Governor, Yahaya Bello, for a while.

Reading the petition on the floor, Majority leader of the House, Hassan Bello (Ajaokuta APC) hinged the petition on three grounds of criminal indulgence, financial misappropriation and non-performance.

The petition also alleged that the committee, set-up by the Kogi State Government to look into the Iyano crises in Ibaji local government (Achuba’s Council area), made some findings that indicted the deputy governor over his actions in relation to the escalation of the crisis.

The majority leader said the allegations, actions and utterances of the deputy governor in recent weeks amounted to gross misconduct, citing Section 188 of 1999 Constitution to back up the stand of the Assembly to commence the impeachment process.

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He prayed the House to commence investigation towards the impeachment move against the deputy governor.

The Speaker, Kolawole Matthew, first called out the name of the petitioners to affirm if the signatures were truly theirs, and all the 21 members present answered in the affirmative, one after the other.

Kolawole, thereafter, agreed to the prayers in the petition and directed that it be served on the deputy governor, for him to respond within the 14 days time frame of the law.

The petition

The Petition read in parts: “We the members of the Kogi State  House of Assembly have, in the past few weeks and days, watched keenly the actions and utterances of the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Elder Simon Achuba, both in public and national television with regards to the government of Kogi State, the governor of Kogi State and other key officials of the state government especially the allegations of crimes, financial misappropriation and non performance levelled against them.

“It is our belief that these actions and utterances of the Deputy Governor amounts to gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office

Particulars of the actions and utterances:

Abdication of official duties

The deputy governor has not been in his office or performed any official duties since about May 2018. He has also not attended any official functions including the State Executive Council meeting of the state since then. Apart from the notification dated 19 November, 2018, signed by one of his aides informing the executive governor of Kogi State of his intention to proceed on leave from November 26, 2018 to January 26, 2019, there is no communication whatsoever from the deputy governor indicating why he has abdicated his duties including attendance at his office. Members have enquired severally at his office for the purpose of official visits to his office but have always been informed of his absence without any explanations.

Allegations of crimes, non-performance

“It is our view that the Deputy Governor is guilty of gross misconduct and he ought to answer to and or substantiate all these allegations and explain his role in relation to the above heads and his public utterances on these issues. We as members see the enumerated allegations and attached evidence as constituting gross misconduct on the part of the deputy governor in the performance of the functions of his office. We also believed that the deputy governor is guilty of other grave violations of the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

“We hereby pray that Mr. Speaker immediately cause the service of this notice on the deputy governor, Elder Simon Achuba and every other member of the House of Assembly and commence the process of investigating the said allegations in accordance with Section 188 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).”

VANGUARD