The Supreme Court has ordered the
immediate reinstatement of Deputy
Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Sanni
Danladi, who was impeached by the state
House of Assembly in October 2012.
In a unanimous judgment, the Supreme
Court held that the impeachment panel set
up by the House of Assembly to investigate
the allegations against Danladi violated his
rights to fair hearing.
The impeachment panel was said to have
gone ahead with its proceedings without
hearing Danladi and recommended his
impeachment, while the panel snubbed his
court papers which he served on it to
challenge its composition.
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta who delivered the
lead judgment held that there seemed to be
conspiracy between both the Taraba State
High Court and the “kangaroo”
impeachment panel to frustrate the
appellant.
He held that set aside the judgments of
both the Court of Appeal and the Taraba
State High Court, which had dismissed
Danaladi’s suit.
The apex court held that the two lower
courts ought to have resolved the issue of
fair hearing in favour of Danladi.
Danladi was impeached about a month
before the governor of the state, Dambaba
Suntai, was involved in an air accident.
Garba Umar, who was appointed to replace
Danladi, was later elevated as the acting
governor, following Suntai’s ill health that
resulted from the crash.
Details later…