Posted by By Tony Amokeodo and Tobi Soniyi on
THE Nigerian Bar Association on Tuesday urged the Federal Government not to recognise the Acting Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Friday Aderemi.
THE Nigerian Bar Association on Tuesday urged the Federal Government not to recognise the Acting Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Friday Aderemi.
The association's advice was contained in a letter by its President, Chief Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), which was addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN).
The association in the letter dated October 17, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, said that unless the Ekiti State Government was isolated, the gale of impeachments might spread to Enugu, Ogun, Anambra, Abia and Plateau states.
It also advised Ojo to file a suit at the Supreme Court in order to determine the constitutionality of the removal of Mr. Ayodele Fayose as the Ekiti State Governor.
The letter read in part, "Unconstitutional removal of governors is a very grave development and perhaps the most imminent threat to elections in 2007 and Nigeria ‘s fragile democracy.
"We have it on good authority that the impeachment process will soon extend to Enugu, Ogun, Anambra, Abia, and Plateau states. This will have great consequences unless an urgent action is taken.
"Unless we are able to take very serious action in respect of the Ekiti matter, there is a very clear danger that this may spread throughout Nigeria with great consequences."
The NBA, also at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday on the state of the nation, said it was regrettable that stakeholders were violating the rule of law.
Besides, it warned that the Independent National Electoral Commission might scuttle the 2007 elections due to lack of preparedness.
It condemned the breakdown of law and order in Plateau State and warned that the purported attempt of six out of the 24 members of the state House of Assembly to impeach the state Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, was illegal and would made a mockery of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Tuesday said that it had not received any charges against Fayose.
The media consultant to the tribunal, Mr. Austin Braimoh, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja, however, admitted that there was a petition against Fayose.
He also said that there had been no formal charges against 15 governors as earlier reported.
He said, "The bureau may be investigating these governors, but we at the tribunal are yet to receive any such charges.
"It is not correct to say that the tribunal has charged Fayose or 15 governors."
Braimoh said that investigation into the petition against Fayose might have reached an advanced stage.
He, however, said that the governor had not been formally charged before the tribunal.
A source confirmed that there was a petition against Fayose and that the petition was being investigated.
The source also said that some governors had already been charged before the tribunal but he was not sure if they were up to 15.