Mr Simon Achuba insisted on Friday that he remains the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, dismissing his impeachment by the state’s House of Assembly as an of illegality.
“What they have done is nothing. I am the deputy governor of Kogi State and I remain the deputy governor of Kogi State,” Achuba told Channels Tv on phone while condemning the action of the lawmakers.
He spoke shortly after he was impeached by members of the State House of Assembly.
Earlier, the House in a unanimous decision impeached the embattled former deputy governor following the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against him.
Majority Leader of the House and member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Mr Hassan Abdullahi, had told reporters that the Speaker, Mr Mathew Kolawole, received the committee’s report which was studied and deliberated upon before the lawmakers took the decision.
Moments later, Mr Achuba stressed that his impeachment by the lawmakers was illegal, saying they didn’t follow the due process involved.
He said, “Impeachment has processes and the last process of impeachment is the verdict of the panel.
“If the panel says the case of the complainant is proved, it means that the accused which is the respondent in the case can be removed. But if their case is not proved, they can’t do anything concerning my office and that is the situation.”
According to Mr Achuba, the report before the Assembly stated that the case brought against him was not proved.
He explained that he did what was expected of him and presented himself before members of the seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge in the state.
“So, what you have seen is the continuation of the illegality that I have complained about loudly.
“I will get a copy of the report in no time to prove to you that what they have done is complete illegality,” Achuba said.
House Leader, Hassan Bello Abdulahi, representing Ajaokuta state constituency, had said Achuba was impeached following consideration of the report of the John Bayeshea-led committee.
Abdulahi said that the report was accepted with lawmakers unanimously agreeing to impeach Achuba and “he therefore stands impeached.”
The committee, which was inaugurated on Aug. 26, probed allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor.
Achuba had accused Gov. Yahaya Bello of withholding his salaries and allowances since 2017, but the government dismissed the allegation as untrue during hearing by the committee.
