A State High Court, sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria, has declared the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Simon Achuba, null and void.
Mr. Achuba was in October 2019 impeached by the State House of Assembly.
The presiding judge, Justice John Olorunfemi on Wednesday faulted Achuba’s removal from office, describing it as a violation of the Constitution.
Justice Olorunfemi, while delivering the judgment, also said the nomination of Edward Onoja as the deputy governor did not follow due process.
The probe panel set up by the state’s Chief Judge, which investigated the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Simon Achuba, on allegations of gross misconduct, returned a not-guilty verdict against him because none of the six-point charge against him was substantiated by the state House of Assembly.
A copy of the report submitted to the state legislature last Friday, upon which the lawmakers summarily removed Achuba from office, despite his clearance, detailed how the legislators either failed to provide proofs to back their allegations against Achuba, or in cases where witnesses were called against the former deputy governor, their testimonies were too weak to convince the panel.