Edward Onoja Replaces Simon Achuba As Kogi Deputy Governor

Edward Onoja, the running mate to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in the forthcoming governorship election, has replaced Simon Achuba as the new Deputy Governor of the north-central state.

A report monitored on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by Naija News, says Onoja would be sworn in on Saturday as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

Naija News reports that the developing will be coming a few days after Onoja resigned as the governor’s Chief of Staff and Achuba’s subsequent impeachment by the Kogi State House of Assembly on Friday.

This online news platform recalls that a seven-member Judicial Panel of Enquiry was set up by Justice Nasir Ajanah, the State Chief Judge, on August 26 to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Achuba, had earlier submitted its report to the House.

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

The chairman 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 evidence given during the proceeding and volume three contains reviews of the committee and recommendations,” he said.

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

The speaker of the Assembly, who received the report, expressed appreciation to the Chief Judge for appointing men of proven integrity as members of the panel.

Speaker 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.

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

Meanwhile, the committee which was inaugurated on August 26 with a 90-day duration within which to complete the assignment and submit its report, completed the job in 49 days.