Panel dismisses charges against Al-Makura
The seven-member panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has dismissed all the charges.
The panel dismissed the charges after concluding its work on Tuesday.
The tribunal had listened to counsel to the state House of Assembly, Ocha Ulegede, earlier in the morning.
The state Assembly had on Monday declared the inauguration of the impeachment tribunal raised by the state Chief Judge (CJ), Suleiman Dikko, as unconstitutional, vowing to stay away from the probe.
But on Tuesday, the Assembly made a U-turn by sending a legal team led by Ulegede to represent it before the panel.
The other members of the Assembly’s legal team were John Mathew, P.A. Daffi, Steven Idikwu, Ache Obande and Abraham Aruta.
The legal team arrived at the venue of the sitting around 8.45 a.m. and took the seats marked for the state Assembly.
The legal team said the panel was breaching the Constitution.
Ulegede then presented a protest letter written by the legislators and argued that some members of the panel were also members of a political party and that their appointments negated the provision of Section 188 of the Constitution on the composition of the panel.
He said the provision did not give the CJ absolute power to appoint members of the panel.
Ulegede also said the provision stated that panel members must not belong to any political party, be a government appointee or be a person with questionable character.
The legal team said the tribunal had no right to set guidelines for the conduct of the sitting.
“Section 188 of the Constitution spelt out clearly how the panel should be composed. They are three fundamental issues among which is that member of the panel cannot be a card carrying member of a political party.
“They cannot hold government appointment and that the panel does not have the power to set the rules of proceeding guiding the sitting,” counsel said.
The legislators’ legal team alleged that two members of the seven-member panel, Abdu Usman and Mohammed Keana, are members of the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP).
The legal team also claimed that Joel Galadima is on the payroll of the state government.
Ulegede told the panel that the Assembly does not recognise the panel and then requested to leave the premises.
After the panel heard the protest of the counsel, it went on a brief recess.
When it resumed from the recess, the panel, which had listened to Al-Makura on Monday, the dismissed the 16 charges against the Governor.
A similar report from Enugu on Tuesday said a panel of enquiry would today begin investigation into allegations levelled against Enugu State Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi.
The panel will conduct its proceedings in one of the conference rooms in the office of the state Chief Judge (CJ), A.I. Umezulike, at the headquarters of the state High Court.
Justice Umezulike constituted the seven-man panel on Tuesday, following impeachment notice served on the Deputy Governor by members of the state House of Assembly.
Onyebuchi was accused of running an illegal poultry in his official residence at the Government House, Enugu, and also refusing to represent Governor Sullivan Chime at official functions, despite directives from the Governor instructing him to do so.
The investigation panel was inaugurated by the CJ in his chambers.
The tribual is headed by Oraeke Franklin, and has Uruakanwa Okoh, Nnamdi Onyenwulu, Maxwell Eze, Mrs. Praise Anyim, Aro Perfecta and Anthony Iguh, as members
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