NATION

Probe Justice Nwite now – Ondo assembly tells NJC

Members of Ondo state house of assembly have written a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice Emeka Nwite. The lawmakers are aggrieved over Justice Nwite’s ruling, halting impeachment process against Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyeditiwa.

Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, speaker of the assembly, said Nwite compromised his office and violated the country’s constitution.

Oladiji said the federal high court’s action was “unconstitutional” and “malevolent.” He added the ruling “restrained ODHA, as an arm of government, from exercising its constitutional powers.”

“My Lord, as a ranking member of ODHA and based on the benefit of a detailed legal advice which the House has sought on the subject matter, I know as a fact that impeachment is a purely legislative affair.

“Section 188 (10) of the Constitution clearly provides that: “No proceedings or determination of the House of Assembly or an Impeachment Panel or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court.”

“However, in spite of the above provisions of the Constitution, the Deputy-Governor approached Justice Emeka Nwite with an ex parte application on 21st September, 2023, just a day after I received Annexure ODHA1 (the notice of allegations of gross misconduct) against him at the plenary of the House, to procure an order to stop the legislative process of his impeachment.”

“My lord, as a Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite knows or ought to know that there are extant Circulars and Practice Directions prohibiting Federal High Court Judges from granting ex parte injunctions in political cases and/or taking cases that did not originate from their immediate Judicial Divisions.”

The speaker urged the NJC to investigate Nwite for “abuse of ex parte injunction … and if found liable, the National Judicial Council should mete out the appropriate sanction against him.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button