Just in: Bello’s running mate to be sworn in as Kogi State new Deputy Governor

In less than 12 hours after the removal of Simon Achuba as the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, the running mate to Gov. Yahaya Bello, Chief Edward Onoja in the forthcoming Nov. 16, governorship election, would be sworn in on Saturday as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

According to NAN report, the seven-member Judicial Panel of Enquiry was set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, on Aug. 26 to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Achuba had earlier submitted its report to the House.

Chairman of the panel, Barrister John Baiyeshea, flanked by six other members of the panel, submitted the report to the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, at plenary.

Baiyeshea said the committee members had done their best, “We have done the best we know how to do according to law and evidence presented to us.

“The report is in three volumes; volume one contains all documents forwarded to us by the Chief Judge that he received from the assembly, and additional reports made available to the committee.

“Volume two contains the evidences giving during the proceeding and volume three contains reviews of the committee and recommendations,” he said.

The chairman, however, declined to reveal the position of the committee, saying doing so would amount to violation of constitutional provisions that guided the setting up of the panel.

Receiving the report, the Speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole, expressed appreciation to the chief Judge for appointing men of proven integrity as members of the panel.

Kolawole explained that the task of ensuring good governance required collective efforts of all, and thanked the members for the timely presentation of the report.

“We shall go into the reports thoroughly, look into the recommendations and do justice to it,” saying that the committee had gone into the annals of history in Nigeria as the first to perform a thorough work devoid of interferences.

In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Mohammad (APC- Ankpa I), said the exercise followed due process and thanked everyone for being responsive to the development of Kogi.

NAN reports that the committee which was inaugurated on Aug. 26 with a 90-day duration within which to complete the assignment and submit it’s report, completed the job in 49 days.

Meanwhile, it will be recalled that the rift between Governor Bello and the former Deputy Governor, Achuba was not unconnected with the non payment of salaries and allowances, which had accumulated to the tune of about N900 million.

NewsTrack had reported that for his resolve to go public and spoke on a national television over his ordeal, his action was described as gross misconduct by members of Kogi State house of Assembly.