By Archibong Jeremiah
Following the arrest of Dr. Frank Ayade, younger brother to the Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over allegations of misappropriation of 2.7billion Naira, the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla has called on the State Assembly to impeach Governor Ayade.
Obla who is also a Commissioner nominee on the Board of the Nigeria Telecommunications Commission NCC, made the call Thursday evening in a statement where he urged the Hon. John Gaul Lebo led House of Assembly to invoke section 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra) and commence impeachment proceeding against the Governor.
According to him, “It is disheartening and confounding that at these austere times, a sibling of Governor Ben Ayade would have the mind to perpetrate such massive fraud on the good people of the State.
“I have all along drawn the attention of the people of the State that it was dangerous, abnormal and aberration for Governor Ayade to abdicate his responsibility of governing the State to the whims and caprices of his brother who was not elected by people of the State; neither is he an official of the Government of Cross River State”.
Furthermore, the President’s aide maintained that: “The arrest of Dr. Frank Ayade is a sort of climax for the impunity that has characterized the government of Cross River State under the leadership of Senator Ayade which culminated in his illegal and unconstitutional appointment of his brother as co Governor of the State. I think the blame for these sins committed by Dr. Frank Ayade must squarely fall on the shoulders of Governor Ayade”.
Obla alleged that, “When a Governor deliberately allows his sibling access to the public till of his State to loot with reckless abandon, then, such a Governor has betrayed the truth placed on him by the people. It is well settled that a Governor who commit such an act of gross misconduct is liable to be removed from office by the House of Assembly.
“Section 188 subsection 11 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) define gross misconduct thus: “a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the House of Assembly to gross misconduct.
“I therefore urge the Cross River State House of Assembly to invoke Section 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (supra) and initiate impeachment proceedings against Senator Ben Ayade for gross misconduct arising as a result of the arrest of his brother, Dr. Frank Ayade, on alleged contract scam and fraud against the people and Government of Cross River State amounting to N2.7 Billion”.
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