Adeola Omotunde, an Ilorin-based veteran legal practitioner has been able to register his impacts as regards offering legal views on germane issues in Nigeria. He speaks with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI, on the ranging crisis in Kogi State polity, among other issues.
Following the impeachment of the Kogi State deputy governor, the Chief Judge (CJ) set up a panel which investigated and exonerated deputy governor of the allegation against him. But, surprisingly the CJ has sworn in another person, this development has continued to generate debates especially in the legal circle, how do you see this?
Kogi is a peculiar state. When you constitute a panel for the purposes of impeachment, you have to work on the report of the panel. The panel was made of eminent indigenes of Kogi State headed by my brother and boss, John Baiyeshea, SAN. The panel looked at the complaints, gave everyone, both the accusers and accused, the freedom to express their feelings and at the end, they came up with verdict of not guilty, allegation not proved against the deputy governor, that ought to be the end of that matter. It is supposed to die there. You cannot take
allegation that cannot be proven to the state House of Assembly.
But, accusers were in the House of Assembly, about 21 in number, when they got the report, they acted on it and ordinarily, the report did not give them any power to go forward; what they’ve done is illegal. Apart from that, the matter is a political issue, Governor Yahaya Bello doesn’t want the deputy governor to complete his term because they have rift that appear irreconcilable, so they want the man out of the way.
For the CJ who constituted that panel, by law, after the panel had submitted the report and found deputy governor not guilty, that ended there, he ought not to allow the matter to go House of Assembly.
It was wrong of the CJ to have sworn-in another deputy governor. It is wrong and illegal. There is no deputy governor under the law in Kogi State now, what we have in the state is an illegality.
The way forward is simple, by next month, there will be an election, people will determine who they want in power. If people are not pleased with what has happened, they will remove the governor, I just pray the power that be will allow people’s voice and vote to count in Kogi.
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