By Austin Ogwuda
EDO State House of Assembly Deputy Clerk (Legal) Ohaifa Joe, who is the counsel for the House of Assembly on the 7-man impeachment panel said that by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution, Section 188 (10), no court has the right to prevent the House of Assembly, or the panel so set up, from performing its constitutional responsibilities.
He stated this today (Wednesday) in reply to an objection raised by Shaibu’s counsel, Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN), drawing the panel’s attention to a subsisting order of an Abuja Federal High Court over the impeachment proceedings.
The court had adjourned the case filed before it by Shaibu till April 8, 2024, for parties in the matter to come and show cause why the court should grant or refuse the prayers for interlocutory injunction against the impeachment processes.
Ohiafi further argued that Awoyale (SAN) must convince the panel that the provision of the constitution had been altered for the panel to sustain his argument.
In his ruling, the Chairman of the panel, Justice S.A. Omonuwa (retd.), said that the panel would continue and asked the House of Assembly to state its case.
Justice Omonuwa while giving his ruling, said the Federal High Court in Abuja only asked parties to come and show cause.
But Awoyale told the panel that his client would not be able to continue to participate in the investigation and sought the panel’s permission to be excused while proceedings commenced.
Source: Punch
