Kogi State Chief Judge, Justice Nadir Ajana, swore in the state’s new deputy governor, Edward David Onoja, on October 21, following the controversial impeachment of the former deputy governor, Elder Simon Achuba.
The Kogi State House of Assembly had impeached Achuba in spite of the report of the judicial panel constituted by Ajana to probe the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Achuba declaring him as clean as a hound’s tooth. The Chief Judge was also said to have sworn not to swear in Achuba’s replacement and had rendered himself incommunicado just to avoid the unenviable task.
It therefore came as a surprise to many that barely 24 hours after the Chief Judge swore not swear in Onoja, he performed the task against all expectations.
It has come to light, however, that Justice Ajana made the turnaround after intense pressure from within and outside the state, including subtle threats to his life by the powers that be.
So intense was the pressure that a very senior legal mind outside the state was said to have advised Ajana to “consider your safety first and make yourself available to swear in the new deputy governor.”
The senior legal mind reportedly told him that in the prevailing circumstances, swearing in Onoja was the wise thing to do, saying he was sure that the matter would eventually go to court and the judiciary would do its job.
