Group accuses APC of planning to pressurise CJN on Fayose's impeachment plot
An Abuja based group, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of clandestine moves to pressurise the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed to prevail on the Chief Judge of Ekiti state, Justice Ayodeji Daramola to accede to the request of the Dr Adewale Omirin led APC lawmakers to constitute a panel to investigate the alleged impeachable offences against the State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and his deputy, Dr Olusola Eleka.
SRLN alleged in a statement issued today that APC bigwigs from Ekiti State were in Abuja for a crucial meeting after which they planned to ask the CJN to compel Ekiti Chief Judge to collect the letter forwarded to him by the APC lawmakers so as to hasten up the impeachment process against Governor Fayose.
In the statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr Chima Ubeku, the group said; “The level of APC desperation to remove Governor Fayose and his Deputy is alarming and the CJN must be alerted of this latest plot to use his office to achieve their evil plot against Ekiti people."
According to the group, Omirin, who is claiming to be the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly is still contesting the legality or otherwise of his impeachment.
"Apart from Suit Numbers FHC/ABJ/CS/885/2014 and FHC/L/CS/1823/2014, another suit which came up today in Abuja has been adjourned till April 29.
"Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/885/2014 in which Omirin is challenging his impeachment was adjourned till April 25 and until then, the notice of discontinuance filed by the plaintiffs amounts to nothing as the case still subsists.
"Since Omirin is by law, not the speaker, all actions taken by him regarding and not limited to issuance of notice of impeachment against Governor Fayose and his Deputy amount to impersonation and should be disregarded.
"Most importantly, impeachment proceedings must originate from the hallowed chamber of the House of Assembly and as at today, no such proceeding has emanated from the Ekiti State House of Assembly.
"Position of the law is that all sittings of the House of Assembly must be in the hallowed chamber of the House, and this was affirmed by the Supreme Court in the Case of Inakoju vs Adeleke (2007).
"The CJN should therefore be mindful of the antics of the APC and its desperate leaders because all they appear to be interested in is to truncate the mandate freely given to Fayose by Ekiti people."