Matawalle’s impeached Deputy reinstated by court weeks after the end of his tenure

Mahadi Aliyu Gusau has been reinstated as the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

 

Gusau, who was at loggerheads with former Governor of Zamfara state, Matawalle Bello after refusing to defect to the All Progressives Congress with him, was impeached in February 2022 by the state’s house of assembly despite a restraining order.

 

Prior to his impeachment, Gusau and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed a lawsuit against the Zamfara State House of Assembly.

 

Delivering judgement on the case on Wednesday, June 21, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the indictment by the judicial panel constituted by former Governor Bello Matawalle and Gusau’s impeachment were done in disregard to the matter before the court, which amounted to self-help and taking the law into their hands.

 

Justice Inyang said;

 

“An order is hereby made restoring the status quo of the Plaintiff/Applicant (Mahadi Aliyy Mohammed) wholly to the position of Deputy Governor of Zamfara State as at the 8th day of July, 2021 when this suit was commenced.

“An order is hereby made setting aside all the steps taken, proceeding/proceedings conducted and acts or things done by the defendants in furtherance of the purported impeachment proceedings or impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, during the pendency of this suit before this court.”

 

Gusau’s tenure as deputy governor of Zamfara expired on May 29.