Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that from the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it is impracticable for any state House of Assembly to impeach a governor in one day.
He added that by the Constitutional provisions, the processes leading to the impeachment of a governor take no less than three months to consummate.
Speaking against the backdrop of rumours of a plot by the state’s House of Assembly to impeach him, last Tuesday, Governor Ortom, through his Special Adviser (Media and ICT), Tahav Agerzua, said nothing of such happened as there was no basis for any impeachment move against him.
“In the case of the Benue State Governor, not one of the impeachment procedures has been activated. So, it is impossible for the House to have impeached him at its sitting yesterday.”
Agerzua also dispelled speculations making the rounds that the governor was about to dissolve the 23 elected local government councils in the state saying such rumour has no justification.
“Governor Ortom, who believes in the Rule of Law, is aware that, by the provision of the Benue State Local Government Law, he has no powers to dissolve the councils.
“Besides, he has no cause whatsoever to breach the provision of that law on any other. Elected Local Government Chairmen and Councilors have no reason whatsoever to believe the speculations which are as baseless as they mischievous,” he said.