The Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja, the state capital, yesterday declared that the impeachment of former Deputy Governor Simeon Achuba is unconstitutional, null and void.

Justice John Olorunfemi, who delivered the verdict at a Kogi High Court 4, said the decision of the House of Assembly to proceed with the impeachment in October 2019, was an act of “legislative rascality devoid of reasoning”.

The judge said he could not understand why the legislators, whose responsibility is to make laws for the state, turned out to be what he called law breakers.

He said they proceeded with the impeachment, even when the seven-man committee set up by the state’s Chief Judge to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct against Achuba had declared him not guilty.

Justice Olorunfemi granted all the prayers of the defendant that his impeachment was unconstitutional.

The judge also said of the subsequent swearing-in of Mr. Edward Onoja as Achuba’s replacement on October 18, 2019, was null, void and of no consequence.

He said the CJ, Justice Nasir Ajanah, should not have allowed the swearing-in of Onoja as no further action should have been taken after the “no guilty verdict” of the seven-man committee.