The probe panel set up to look into the allegations of misconduct and misappropriation levelled against the Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-makura, by the State House of Assembly has dismissed the charges.
In the Tuesday sitting of the probe panel constituted by the State Chief Judge on the request of 20 lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were pushing the impeachment, the members of the panel set aside the allegations.
After the panel’s decision, an elated Governor Al-makura described the ruling as “victory for democracy”, but reiterated that he was ready at any time to defend his innocence.
There was wild jubilation in Lafia after the ruling, as huge crowd of the governor’s supporters throng the streets, welcoming the decision.
The governor said he had been vindicated by the panel’s decision.
“Those who raised the allegations against me could not come forward to prove or substantiate the it,” the governor said, referring to the PDP lawmakers.
The state House of Assembly had on July 14, through a resolution, moved for the impeachment of Governor Al-makura over a 16-count charge of misconduct and breach of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and unanimously asked the State Chief Judge to set up a panel to look into the allegations.
However, after the State’s Chief Judge set up the panel as requested, the PDP members insisted that the panel should be disband.
The 20 lawmakers at a sitting in a hotel at Karu Local Government Area, agreed to a resolution to request that the Chief Judge should disband the panel, saying they have no faith in its membership.
They were absent from the Monday sitting of the probe panel held at the Ministry for Local Government, located along Shendam Road.
Also at the sitting on Tuesday, the lawmakers pushing for Al-makura’s impeachment, represented by a team of lawyers, again protested against the panel sitting on two grounds.
They challenged the membership of Mr Mohammed Sabo Keana and Mr Mohammed Usman as members of PDP while Mr Joel Galadima as public office holder, running contrary to section 188 (5) of the constitution.
The counsel to the lawmakers insisted that the constitutional provisions and requirement must be followed by the State Chief Judge in the appointment of panel members and procedure for the panel sitting.
Governor Al-makura through his counsel, Mr Nnoruka Udechuckwu, however, disagreed with the lawyers representing the lawmakers.