Tag: Impeachment

  • Zamfara Deputy Governor, Lawyer Absent As Impeachment Proceedings Begin

    Zamfara Deputy Governor, Lawyer Absent As Impeachment Proceedings Begin

    The Deputy Governor of Zamfara State Mahdi Aliyu was absent – alongside his lawyer – to stand in for him at the impeachment proceedings as a seven-man panel set up by the Zamfara State Chief Judge Kulu Aliyu to investigate the allegations leveled against him.

    The Zamfara State House of Assembly is accusing the deputy governor Mahdi of misappropriation of funds, gross misconduct, and abuse of office among other things

    The fact-finding panel is saddled with the responsibility to investigate allegations and submit a report to the Chief Judge; though no time frame is given to the panel to submit its report.

    The deputy governor, who doubles as the respondent, is absent at the first sitting, and no counsel or person representing the deputy governor. The secretary to the panel Barrister Ashiru Tsafe told the fact-finding committee that he has served the deputy governor with all the necessary notices regarding his appearance before the committee via electronic, email address, Whatsapp and has also submitted scan copies of the delivery report

    Counsel to the complainant Barrister Nasiru Jangebe presented seven witnesses for cross-examination before the panel

    The first “complainant witness”, one Abubakar Mohammed, and the director-general and secretary to the state executive council, identified the documents he presented to the panel.

    One of the documents was the notice of meetings served to the deputy governor. After careful checks of the documents, Abubakar Mohammed was discharged by the panel.

    The second witness is the state head of service Kabiru Muhammad, who doubled as the secretary of Zamfara State economic development committee, has tendered in evidence the minute of the maiden meeting of the committee held at the office of the deputy governor on 15/02/2021. He affirmed that since the deputy governor did not instruct to convey another meeting of the committee.

    But he told the panel that, as secretary of the committee, he has to call for a technical subcommittee meeting to discuss issues and design some road map regarding the activities of the committee.

    It could be recalled that in January 2021 the governor constituted the state economic team committee headed by the deputy governor; the objective was to map out strategies for the restructuring of the economy of the state.

    Another witness Shehu Mainasara, who is a retired Permanent Secretary at the office of the deputy governor, testified that the deputy governor has not been coming to office within the stipulated period. He said the deputy governor had been given “oral” directives through a telephone call.

    When asked by one of the panelists whether “oral” directives are acceptable in the civil service rules, Mainasara said that has been the practice which he met upon his assumption to office as the Permanent Secretary to the Office of the Deputy Governor.

    The sitting has been adjourned for thirty minutes and the Director of Finance in the office of the deputy governor is the next “complainant witness” after the resumption of the panel.

    The panel has the following as members: Justice Halidu Tanko Soba (rtd) as Chairman, Oladipo Okpeseyi (SAN), Abdul Atadoga Ibrahim (SAN), Hussaini Zakariya’u (SAN) others are Amina Tanimu Marafa, Sani Mande, and Ahmad Buhari Rabah while Barrister Ashiru Tsafe serves as the secretary.

  • Zamfara Deputy Governor’s Suit Against Impeachment for definite hearing March 10

    Zamfara Deputy Governor’s Suit Against Impeachment for definite hearing March 10

    From Kayode Lawal. Abuja.

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday fixed March 10 for definite hearing in a suit instituted by the Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mahadi Aliyu Gusaau seeking to stop the State House of Assembly from impeaching him on account of his refusal to decamp to the All Progressive Congresss APC.

    Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo fixed the date after ordering parties in the suit to file and exchange all their processes ahead of the date.

    At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Gusaau, Chief Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had appealed to the Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo to make a definite pronouncement on maintaining the status quo.

    In the alternative, the senior lawyer urged the Court to direct Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel to Governor Mohammed Bello Matawalle, the Chief Judge of Zamfara State and the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, to give an undertaking for maintenance of status quo.

    However, in his response, Ozekhome told the Court that Chief Ukala only served him the amended Originating Summons, the motion to revive the status quo, as well as a motion for interlocutory injunction just on Friday, 11th February, 2022.

    He argued that by the Rules of Court, he was entitled to 7 days each to respond to both motions and 30 days to respond to the amended Originating Summons.

    He also argued that the status quo order granted in July 2021, had since expired after 14 days going by the Rules of the Federal High Court and that the said maintenance of status quo order was based on a mere letter of invitation sent to Gusaau to appear before the House to answer certain questions, and not an order against impeachment.

    Ozekhome further argued that as a constitutional lawyer, he cannot give an undertaking which will have the effect of preventing the Zamfara State House of Assembly from carrying out its constitutional functions, including impeachment.

    Ruling on the matter, Justice Ekwo held that the application for maintenance of status quo and the other processes were not riped for hearing.

    He advised both lawyers that whatever applications or grievances they might have should be taken to the next adjournment date.

    He therefore granted Chief Ozekhome, SAN, 7 days each to respond to the two motions and 21 days to respond to the Originating Summons.

    He also granted Ukala time to file his responses.

    Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter to 10th of March, 2022, for definite hearing of all pending applications.

  • Court Nullifies Impeachment of Ex- Imo Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso, After Eight Years

    Court Nullifies Impeachment of Ex- Imo Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso, After Eight Years

    A State High Court sitting in Owerri the Imo capital has nullified the impeachment of former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Jude Agbaso.

    Mr. Agbaso was impeached on March 28, 2013, during the Rochas Okorocha led administration.

    Delivering the judgment on Monday,  the presiding judge Justice S.I Opara said the process that led to the impeachment of the former deputy governor was unconstitutional, null, and void as due process was not followed.

    Justice Opara added that the defendant was not giving a fair hearing on the matter before the impeachment was done.

    While noting that in the eyes of the law the impeachment never occurred, the court however ordered the Imo state government to pay all entitlements and emoluments accrued to the former Deputy Governor from March 28, 2013, the date of impeachment till May 28, 2015, when his tenure as deputy governor was supposed to end.

    Reacting to the judgment the counsel to Former deputy governor, Barrister Chijioke Emeka says the landmark judgement is a triumph of the rule of law and once again the development has shown that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

    He noted that the impeachment case is the longest in the history of the country as the case which started on April 30, 2013, ended after 8 years.

    The former Deputy Governor Mr. Jude Agbaso who also reacted to the judgement said he feels elated that finally justice has been served as justice delayed is never justice denied.

  • Niger state assembly’s first female House Leader impeached

    Niger state assembly’s first female House Leader impeached

    Binta Mamman, the the first female majority leader and the only female in the Niger state House of Assembly has been impeached. 

    The female lawmaker was impeached by members of the house of assembly during the plenary on Thursday December 24. 

    An official statement revealing why the former leader was impeached or the number and names of the lawmakers that supported the action against her is yet to be released by the house of assembly. 

  • Impeachment: U.S. Senate squashes cases against Trump

    Impeachment: U.S. Senate squashes cases against Trump

    U.S. President Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate on both articles of impeachment on Wednesday. The acquittal allows him to remain in office after Democrats failed to muster the two-thirds supermajority needed for the removal of the Republican president.

    One Republican senator, Mitt Romney, bucked his party line and voted to convict the president on the first article of the charge of abuse of power, yielding a vote of 52 in favour of aquittal and 48 for a conviction. The Democrats voted as a bloc against the president. The second article, the charge of obstruction of Congress, also failed to pass, with 53 voting to acquit and 47 voting to convict. Trump was impeached in December in the House of Representatives. He was charged with abusing his office to pressure Ukraine into announcing an investigation of his political rival ahead of elections this year and then obstructing Congress’ investigation. The president said he did nothing wrong.