A Kogi High Court sitting in Lokoja has thrown out a suit by former Governor Idris Wada challenging the setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry to probe past administrations in the state.
Justice Henry Olusiyi of High Court II while delivering the judgment on Thursday struck out the suit for lack of merit.
Challenging the constitution of the Commission of Inquiry in Suit No: HCL/88/2016, Wada had questioned whether Governor Yahaya Bello had the constitutional powers to probe the alleged stealing of government funds.
Wada had sought 13 reliefs including an order of injunction restraining the commission members from investigating any matter concerning him and his administration from January 2011 to January 2014.
He also questioned the competence of the eight-member commission, its composition and venue and whether the 9th defendant (Bello) had not already found him (Wada) guilty by reason of the addresses and speeches he had made in several events.
But Olusiyi explained that Bello has the constitutional powers as enshrined in Section 2 (1) of the Commission Inquiry Law, Cap 25 of the Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 to set up a commission of inquiry into the conduct of public officers.
He described Wada’s position that his right to fair hearing could not be guaranteed in view of the commission’s composition and location in Government House as mere speculation and conjecture.
Olusiyi held that each of the 13 reliefs sought by the former governor against chairman of the commission and eight others including Bello failed and were accordingly dismissed.
Credits: John Akubo | Guardian
