The Kogi State House of Assembly on Wednesday commenced impeachment process against the state’s Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba.
The Assembly based its decision on the action and utterances of the Deputy Governor on national television stations.
The members described Achuba’s action as gross misconduct against the governor of the state, Yahaya Bello and the people of the state.
The impeachment process was sequel to a petition signed by 21 members of the House, which was presented on the floor of the House by the Majority Leader, Hon. Abdullahi Bello representing Ajaokuta state constituency on Wednesday at plenary.
Parts of the petition read, “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 amount to gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office.”
The petition also alleged that the committee set up by the Kogi state government to look into the Iyano crisis in Ibaji Local Government, made some finding that indicted the Deputy Governor over his actions in relation to the escalation of the crisis.
“It is our view that that Deputy Governor is guilty of gross misconduct and he ought to answer to and/or substantiate all these allegations.”
The Speaker of the House, Mathew Kolawole, however, directed that the petition should be transmitted to the Deputy, giving him two weeks to reply while an investigation into the alleged misconduct would commence.
Source: Punch
