An appeal has been made by human rights lawyer Deji Ajare to the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Umar Yusuf, to begin the impeachment process against Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo. Ajare’s recommendation, outlined in a letter sent to the Speaker through the House clerk on Friday, accuses Ododo of misconduct and abuse of power.
The use of the Governor’s convoy to transport former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello away from the EFCC operatives seeking to arrest him on charges of N80.2bn money laundering is cited by Ajare as aiding a fugitive, obstructing justice, and misusing state resources.
Subsequent to Bello’s escape, the EFCC declared the former governor wanted, with the Nigeria Immigration Service placing him on their watchlist. The Inspector General of Police also ordered the withdrawal of all police units assigned to Bello.
Ajare’s letter urges the KSHA to collaborate with the EFCC, ensuring all involved individuals are accessible for questioning and investigation.
He states, “If substantiated, these actions amount to gross misconduct, necessitating immediate investigation and the initiation of impeachment proceedings as specified under Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution.”
In addition, he calls on the Kogi State House of Assembly to support national law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, to facilitate a seamless investigation.
He emphasizes the urgency of addressing the implications of “misgovernance” on the citizens of the state stemming from the alleged actions.
In response, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mohammed Yabagi, communicated that neither the Clerk nor the Speaker had received such a letter.
He asserts that the House has not identified any legitimate grounds to initiate impeachment proceedings against Ododo, emphasizing the absence of evidence indicating the governor obstructed security agencies in arresting Bello.
Yabagi states, “Although the public may have varied perceptions, the Assembly has observed no justifications as none of the members witnessed the alleged prevention of security agencies from performing their duties.”
“The Assembly unequivocally supports all constitutionally recognized security agencies and sees no basis to commence impeachment proceedings at this point.”
He further notes, “To provide context, the former Governor was not at his Abuja residence, and there is no concrete evidence against the current Governor in impeding the security agencies from executing their constitutionally mandated responsibilities.”
Meanwhile, attempts to contact the Special Adviser on Media to the Kogi State Governor, Ismaila Isah, were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off.