#simonachuba

Impeached Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba has described his impeachment as illegality that will not stand, insisting that he remains the deputy governor of the state. Achuba said this in a telephone interview with Channels Television shortly after the State House of Assembly unanimously impeached the deputy governor based on the report of a judicial panel of enquiry set up by the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasir Ajanah. The 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.” Achuba had been in running battled with Governor Yahaya Bello who currently is seeking reelection as Governor of the state. The committee, which was inaugurated on Aug. 26, was commissioned following the allegation against Governor Bello by Achuba that the governor is withholding his salaries and plotting to assassinate him. But the impeached Achuba told Channels TV “Impeachment has processes and the last process of impeachment is the verdict of the panel. “If the panel says the case of the complaint is proved, it means that the responded who is the accused can be removed. But if their case is not proved, they can’t do anything against my office and that is the situation,” he said. Read the full article

Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, has dragged his boss, Governor Yahaya Bello, to court over the non-payment of his allowances. Achuba took Bello before a National Industrial Court of Nigeria on Monday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria. The suit with number NICN/ABJ/244/2019 filed on August 19, prayed the court to declare that the decision of the defendant to withhold his allowances was discriminatory and amounted to unfair labour practice. He is also seeking for an order of the court for the payment of N921.5m being his travel allowances, monthly impress, security votes and other statutory allocations due to his office. The case, which was filed by Falana and Falana Chamber, is yet to be assigned to a judge. The rift between Achuba and Bello became public in October 2018 following reports of an alleged strained relationship between them. In February, Achuba said his life was under threat following the withdrawal of his security details allegedly on the orders of the governor. In August, the state’s House of Assembly commenced impeachment process against Achuba. Read the full article

The Kogi state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended the deputy governor, Simon Achuba. Achuba recently accused Governor Yahaya Bello of failing to pay his two-year salaries and allowances totalling over N800 million. Chairman of the APC in the state, Abdullahi Bello, told journalists on Thursday, August 8, 2019, that Achuba was suspended over alleged anti-party activities before, during and after the 2019 general election. Bello described some of the actions of Achuba as embarrassing to the “APC family in Kogi state” adding that the deputy governor worked against ruling party during the 2019 polls. He said a committee set up to probe the actions of Achuba indicted the deputy governor and also recommended his suspension. “As we are all aware, the All Progressives Congress does not condone acts of indiscipline, indiscretion and anti-party activities from any party member, no matter how highly placed,” he said. “His series of reckless, damaging and unsubstantiated allegations against government of Kogi state was an action that constitute a serious violation of Article 21A(ii), (v) and (vii) of the APC constitution, amount, amounting to acts of disloyalty and embarrassment to the party.” Bello added that the decision of the state working committee will be communicated to the national working committee of the ruling party. Achuba’s suspension from the APC comes barely 24-hours after the state House of Assembly began moves to impeach him. Meanwhile, Achuba has accused Governor Bello of threatening to take his life. The governor has, however, denied all the allegation. Read the full article