BIG BLOW FOR 5 GOVERNORS AS SUPREME COURT SENDS THEM PACKING

LIYEL IMOKE

TIMIPRE SLYVA

MURTALA NYAKO

ALHAJI ALIYU WAMMAKO

ALHAJI IBRAHIM IDRIS

The Supreme Court this morning finally laid to rest the issue of tenure elongation has concerning 5 of the Governors in Nigeria. In their ruling today, a 7 men panel of Justices led by Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Nnoghen, ordered the sacking with immediate effect of Senator Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Chief Timipre Slyva of Bayelsa, Admiral Muritala Nyako of Adamawa, Alhaji Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto & Alhaji Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State.

 The INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) had appealed the Tenure elongation case won by the Governors at the Federal High Court sometime ago and upheld by the Appeal Court later. INEC had stated in their appeal at the Supreme Court that the tenures of the 5 Governors ended on May 29, 2011.

By this monumental judgment of the 7 wise men of the Supreme Court it means the 5 former Governors seizes to be the Governors of their States with immediate effect. Also by this judgment it means the Governors cannot appeal. What this must mean then, is that the Speakers of the various Houses of Assemblies  in each state would become acting Governors immediately till elections are conducted. There shouldn't be a vacuum in government, by the sacking it also means that the governors have lost their immunity, so if any of them is found wanting they can face the full wrath of the law. We hope!