Impeachment tsunami rocking Nigeria’s political arena (1)

The processes of impeachment that has dogged the present tenure of political office holder in the Nigerian arena has assumed another dimension with impeachment proceedings kick started against the governors of Ekiti and Plateau states.
Still fresh in the minds of the populace was the unresolved impeachment of the erstwhile governor of Oyo state, Rashidi Ladoja, who was unceremoniously impeached under a process that was termed “unconstitutional” as it did not follow the due process. The impeachment was done with over half of the state legislators absence from the purported sitting, and the setting up of the seven man panel of investigation was neither constituted publicly, nor was quorum formed at the presentation of the report of the panel which was held under tight security under a record time that can go into the Guiness book of world record for the most fastest impeachment process under twenty minutes.
The current imbroglio in the country is that of Chief Joshua Chibi Dariye, governor of Plateau state in the middle belt region of Nigeria and Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, both facing impeachment proceedings.
Yesterday, the members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly in a crucial but brief sitting which was not more than 20 minutes, 24 out of the 26 lawmakers asked the state Chief Judge, Kayode Bamisile to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the allegation of corruption leveled against the governor as demanded by the constitution.
The sitting took place under tight security, had 24 members present that had earlier signed the impeachment notice filed against the governor and his deputy. The deputy speaker , Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun and Mr. Tunji Akinleye were absent from the proceedings of the day, and had earlier refused signing the notice.
The governor has however restated his innocence and that of his deputy stating that some people are behind their present ordeal because he had no godfather, and that the opposition were trying to bring down his administration by using every means possible.
In a related development, the governor in a bid to stop the process of impeachment had files a case before the state High Court seeking for an injunction of the process saying he was served the notice on Tuesday, three days ago, which clearly gives him additional 11 days to defend himself before an attempt at setting up the panel of investigation can be done.
It is evident that almost all the legislators in Ekiti wants their governor investigated but this cannot be said of that of Plateau state, where only eight members out of the 24 that constitute the legislative house sat and declared that they were holding a valid legislative session.
With heavily guarded policemen and officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the proceeding of the day was set rolling by declaring the Assembly Speaker, Mr. Simon Lalong, impeached and appointing Mr. Micheal Dapialong in his stead. The lawmakers passed the resolution passing an impeachment notice on the governor, Chief Joshua Dariye.
During the sitting, women and children loyal to the governor besieged the assembly complex and tried to force their way into the venue, but they were resisted by the police who shot sporadically into the air to scare away the supporters.

Adewumi Olumide