BREAKING: Yahaya Bello’s Running Mate Replaces Impeached Deputy Gov

The running mate to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Chief Edward Onoja in the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in Kogi state would be sworn in on Saturday as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

A seven-member Judicial Panel of Enquiry was set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, on August 26 to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the former Deputy Governor Achuba had earlier submitted its report to the House.

Chairman of the panel, Barrister John Baiyeshea, flanked by six other members of the panel, submitted the report to the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, at plenary.

Baiyeshea said the committee members had done their best, “We have done the best we know how to do according to law and evidence presented to us.

“The report is in three volumes; volume one contains all documents forwarded to us by the Chief Judge that he received from the assembly, and additional reports made available to the committee.

“Volume two contains the evidences giving during the proceeding and volume three contains reviews of the committee and recommendations,” he said.

The chairman, however, declined to reveal the position of the committee, saying doing so would amount to violation of constitutional provisions that guided the setting up of the panel.

Receiving the report, the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, expressed appreciation to the chief Judge for appointing men of proven integrity as members of the panel.

Kolawole explained that the task of ensuring good governance required collective efforts of all, and thanked the members for the timely presentation of the report.

“We shall go into the reports thoroughly, look into the recommendations and do justice to it,” saying that the committee had gone into the annals of history in Nigeria as the first to perform a thorough work devoid of interferences.

In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Mohammad (APC- Ankpa I), said the exercise followed due process and thanked everyone for being responsive to the development of Kogi.

The committee which was inaugurated on Aug. 26 with a 90-day duration within which to complete the assignment and submit its report, completed the job in 49 days.

Meanwhile, Newsflash247 had earlier reported that Mr Simon Achuba, has been impeached by the state House of Assembly.

His impeachment followed the submission earlier in the day of the report of the committee set up by the state chief judge, Justice Nadir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against the former deputy governor.

Leader of the House, Hassan Bello Abdulahi, representing Ajaokuta constituency who announced the decision of the House, said Achuba stands impeached after careful consideration of the report of the John Bayeshea committee submitted earlier on Friday.

He said the report was received, studied and deliberated upon and a unanimous decision was arrived at to impeach Achuba and “he therefore stands impeached.”

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The seven-man committee headed by John Bayeshea submitted the report to the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Mathew Kolawole on Friday, in a brief ceremony after which the House went into a closed door session where the report was considered and deliberated upon.

The committee was set up in August following allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor when he accused  Governor Yahaya Bello of withholding his salaries and imprests since 2017 — an allegation denied by the government during hearing by the committee.

The Director General, Media and Publicity to the Kogi State Governor, Kingsley Fanwo, also accused the embattled Deputy Governor of attempting to set the state on fire.

Fanwo alleged that the Achuba was orchestrating violence and incitement against the governor and the government of Kogi State.

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