The Supreme Court introduced today a twist in the political structure of Nigeria’s north eastern Taraba state, by voiding the impeachment in October 2012 of a former deputy governor, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi.
The man appointed to replace him, Garba Umar, is now the acting governor, with the substantive governor, Danbaba Suntai, incapacitated by an accident sustained in a plane crash in October 2012, the same month Danladi was removed.
By its judgement today, the Supreme Court ordered the immediate reinstatement of Danladi, who was impeached by the state House of Assembly in 2012. It means that Umar must vacate his position for Danladi, who had run with Suntai in 2011.
In a unanimous judgment, the Supreme Court held that the impeachment panel set up by the House of Assembly to investigate the allegations against Danladi violated his rights to fair hearing.
The impeachment panel was said to have gone ahead with its proceedings without hearing Danladi and recommended his impeachment, while the panel snubbed his court papers which he served on it to challenge its composition.
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta who delivered the lead judgment held that there seemed to be conspiracy between both the Taraba State High Court and the “kangaroo” impeachment panel to frustrate the appellant.
The court set aside the judgments of both the Court of Appeal and the Taraba State High Court, which had dismissed Danaladi’s suit.
The apex court held that the two lower courts ought to have resolved the issue of fair hearing in favour of Danladi.
Garba Umar must be on his way out of Jalingo now with the judgement delivered.
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