Former W. Bahr el Ghazal speaker threatens legal action

February 23, 2015 (JUBA) – The embattled former speaker of South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Andrea Mayar Acho, has vowed to challenge his removal in the High Court.

“I will challenge this impeachment held against me in court because it was illegal,” Acho told Sudan Tribune from the state capital, Wau. “The procedures were incorrect,” he added.

Acho is also accused of unlawfully waving MPs’ immunity without proper consultation with assembly members.

A quorum of 27 MPs out of 43 members voted to impeach Acho, electing to appoint Mario John Nyibang as his successor on Thursday.

Acho described the move as unconstitutional and said he would seek to have the decision overturned by the High Court.

At a press conference last Wednesday that the parliament’s actions were illegitimate and breached the state assembly’s business code of conduct.

“Let me refer you back to the 30 January this year when the state cabinet was presented to us in the assembly for vetting, of which the cabinet was passed despite many difficulties on the finance minister and deputy governor, this is where our problems started,” said Acho.

“I have taken you back to this point because what happened yesterday (last Tuesday) has a connection with the vetting of cabinet problems,” he added.

Meanwhile, cabinet has defended its actions, saying the decision was made for the sake of peace in Western Bahr el Ghazal.

However, Acho maintains that many MPs were not happy with the cabinet’s actions against him.

(ST)