The former Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Government, Edward Onoja, and the running mate of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, in the November 16, 2019, gubernatorial election, has been sworn in as the new deputy governor of the state.
The swearing-in ceremony held at the Kogi government house on Monday, followed his confirmation by the Kogi state house of assembly.
This also comes after Governor Bello had sent the name of Onoja, his former chief of staff, to the assembly following the removal of Simon Achuba, his former deputy.
The appointment of Edward Onoja as the new Deputy Governor comes after the impeachment of Elder Simon Achuba by members of Kogi State House of Assembly.
The House had in a unanimous decision, on Friday, impeached the embattled former deputy governor following the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against him.
Here are some of the allegations levelled against Achuba are:
- Deliberate disdain for decisions of the Kogi State Executive Council on the mode of execution of contracts between the state and third parties.
- Abscondment from office and abandonment of official duties and functions
- Scandalisation of Kogi State and her people with gratuitous, wild and unsubstantiated allegations of crimes, non-performance, brigandage and financial impropriety against the Governor, the government of Kogi State and officials of government.
- On 19th July 2019, the Deputy Governor caused his lawyers to write a letter of demand to the state government demanding amongst other things, unpaid salaries.
- The indictment in sponsorship of communal unrest, the murder of constituents and displacement of communities in lyano, Ibaji LGA, Kogi State.