Kogi Assembly Speaks on Alleged Plans to Impeach Deputy Governor

Kogi State House of Assembly has denied plotting to impeach the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Elder Simon Achuba.

Briefing journalists after Thursdays plenary in Lokoja, the Chief Whip of the House, Honourable Victor Adewale Omofaiye described the speculation as unfounded and shocking.

Omofaiye stated that the rumor of planned impeachment of Achuba stemmed from the disruption of Tuesday sitting by one of it members.

He explained that the internal wrangling that ensued between members which led to the untimely termination of the House proceeding was purely legislative business.

Omofaye maintained that the House was actually deliberating on a bill for a law to provide for the management of funds of Kogi State House of Assembly and for related matters, 2018 which did not go down with some members who think they where not carried along before the bill was put under debate before the sixth Assembly.

“It came to the notice of the House that there are speculation on what happened some days back in the Kogi State House of Assembly. Precisely, we are aware of a publication by some news media that the House is carrying out planned impeachment process against the state Deputy Governor, Elder Simon Achuba.

“To us,  it is coming as a shock. There has never been anything like that. We want to set the record straight that there has never been anything like that and it is a mere rumor which should be discarded by the general public.

“What actually happened on the floor of the House that day was nothing but normal legislative exercise. In a situation where you have 25 members trying to have an input in an issue, there is bound to be rancour and misunderstanding. At the end of the day, the issue has been resolved. The issue specifically emanated from a bill in the House and has nothing to do with the rumored impeachment.

“On that day which happens to be Tuesday 30th October 2018, a member came in  and he felt that the bill we were about to take should be well scrutinized before it is being taken on the floor of the House. And that is what actually happened. The bill is for a law to provide for the management of funds of Kogi State House of Assembly and for related matters, 2018.

“When the member came in, he thought we were on the bill already. And having his own contribution in mind, he think his own contribution should also be aired. There was no fracas. That was why we immediately resolve to the executive section to clear the air.  We have put it behind us and the House has continued with its legislative business.

“We still have to find out from the information committee of the House what led to the report by some media houses that we want to impeach the deputy governor. If they can provide a substantial backup, the House will take a legal action against those spreading the fake news.  To us in the House, it is not true and it is a way of tarnishing the image of the Assembly,” he said.

In the last two weeks, there has been reports suggesting that the Deputy Governor is no longer in the good books of Governor Yahaya Bello. The reports claimed that spirited efforts by traditional rulers and some prominent political stakeholders in the ruling party in the state to save him failed to yield result.

Sources within the corridors of power told newsmen that Achuba is currently under pressure to resign.