Follow Us on Google
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has directed the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Bemsen Mnyim, to proceed on indefinite suspension.
He gave the directive at Government House during a press conference shortly after the Benue State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.
He stated that the suspension was necessitated by Barr. Mnyim’s ultra vires decision to join the state in a suit challenging the legality of anti-graft agencies, namely the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
“No appointee is permitted to act unilaterally. No matter how pressing or urgent the issue is, one must resort to due consultations with me or appropriately brief me and seek my permission before acting, especially in a sensitive matter such as this.
“My administration is holding accountable those who embezzled money and drained our state dry. The EFCC and ICPC are assisting us in this effort.
“How can I now turn around and begin to challenge these watchdogs? I gave no permission for him to enter an appearance for the state. Because he acted on his own, I hereby suspend him indefinitely pending a satisfactory explanation of his actions.”
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court, reserved judgment in a suit filed by 19 state governments challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two others.
A seven-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji announced that a date for the judgment would be communicated to respective parties.
This was after the court took oral arguments from counsel to the first plaintiff (Kogi State), Abdulwahab Mohammed and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi SAN, after the adoption of their written submissions
The states that joined in the suit marked: SC/CV/178/2023 include
Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Enugu, Oyo, Benue, Plateau, Cross River, Ondo, Niger, Edo, Bauchi, Imo, Osun, Nasarawa, Ogun, Taraba.
Anambra, Adamawa and Ebonyi have withdrawn from the suit while Ogun, Osun and Nasarawa states applied for consolidation of the suit.
