Two estranged local government chairmen in Bayelsa State who engaged in battle of wits with governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, were yesterday impeached and acting chairmen sworn-in by the state chief judge, Justice Kate Abiri.
Those impeached by the legislative arms of their respective councils were Chief Koku Gariga (Sagbama) and Selekibina Sabo (Kolokuma/Opokuma).Those sworn-in to replace them in acting capacity are Napoleon Akoso (Sagbama) and Ebikeme Okoringa (Kolokuma/Opokuma).
While state government sources said the former chairmen were impeached due to their alleged refusal to work with the legislative arm of their councils to produce vice chairmen and allegedly engaged in fund diversion, supporters of the impeached chairmen alleged that they were removed from office due to the decision of the governor to tamper with their tenures as declared by the Supreme Court.
The embattled chairmen had, last month secured a Supreme Court ruling, affirming them as the rightful candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2010 local government elections in the state.