A legal practitioner and counsel to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr John Matthew, on Thursday said the findings of the panel of inquiry set up to investigate allegations levelled against the State governor must be submitted to the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Speaking on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, on Thursday, Mr John noted that the provision of Section 1 (88) of the constitution, which guides the removal of a governor or deputy is quite explicit; it begins and ends in the House of Assembly.
”The constitution is very clear about the findings, if none of the allegation had been established, the matters end there; but if the finding of any allegation has been proved, the House of Assembly has within 14 days to take decision, one way or the other, rather than act upon the findings by carrying the process to a conclusive end or to in fact refuse to go beyond that”, insisting that “once it is shown by the report that none of the allegation has being established the matter ends there”.
According to the constitution the powers the panel can exercise can only come from one source which is the State House of Assembly. Also the rule of procedure can only come from the State House of Assembly.
”But that is not what the panel did they drafted the rules themselves and gave themselves the powers they were exercising and went ahead to sit the way they did.
“People shouldn’t mistake the constitutional process of impeachment for an affair against one political party. Once you get elected you get elected on a platform of political party but you an honorable member representing that constituency”, he said.
According to Mr John, the members have not not indicated why they wish to proceed with the impeachment because the result of the panel has not yet been submitted to them.
