By Emmanuel Nduka
Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahadi Ali, has fired back at the State House of Assembly for initiating procedures to impeach him, insisting that the lawmakers cannot go on with the process.
It would be recalled that 18 members of the House had voted for the impeachment of Ali, following which the Chief Judge of the state inaugurated an Investigative panel to probe the deputy governor, in line with the procedure for impeachment.
But reacting for the first time since the saga, Ali said the lawmakers “cannot go ahead with the impeachment process because the issue is before a court of law.”
Ali who bared his mind at a press briefing in Gusau, the state capital, said the lawmakers would be acting as illiterates if they continue with the impeachment move.
“I am here today to comment on the impeachment move against me. I have heard that the CJ (Chief Judge) has inaugurated a panel to investigate me. How could they go ahead with such a move? How could the CJ inaugurate the panel when the issue is before a court of law?
“But this shows that they are nothing but illiterates to me. If they continue the move then they are illiterates. They should know there is a limit to what they can do.
“You see what I have been saying? God is great. This government that came to power through court verdict because of the failure of the APC and we were announced winners having come second, we are now disobeying a court order. A court has said that every party should wait for it to declare its verdict on the issue but they have decided to continue,” he said.
Ali further accused the Chief Judge of inaugurating “a kangaroo panel”, stating that “she, who has been the Chief Judge for over 15 years with her status and knowledge of what should be right but today, illiterates are making her do what is wrong. It’s shameful.”
On the allegations against him, Ali said it was because he is a member of the opposition party, and that if he joins the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), all the allegations would be history.
“It’s nothing. What they are saying is simple. If I finish from here and go and join their party (APC) everything will be forgotten. So, is there truth in the allegations? The only thing they want is to fulfil their wish but that is not how I do my things,” he added.
Recall that Ali parted ways with Governor Bello Matatwalle after he refused to join the defection to the APC.
The duo had all taken their offices on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after the Supreme Court disqualified candidates of the APC, who had been declared winners in the 2019 elections.
The House had served Ali the impeachment notice through the Secretary to the State Government before asking the Chief Judge to constitute an Investigative Panel to verify the allegations against the deputy governor.
Among other things, he was accused of: “abuse of office, criminal self-enrichment using public funds and failure to discharge official duties.”
