Adamawa Impeachment: Hotel Evicts Nyako Probe Panel By George Agba, BY MOHAMMED ISMAIL — July 9, 2014 The seven-man panel constituted by the Adamawa state Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mammadi to investigate Gov. Murtala Nyako and Deputy, Bala Ngillari for alleged gross misconduct is currently facing a dilemma as they have found it difficult to obtain a venue for their sitting. The management of J & J Hotel Villa, where the panel held its maiden sitting, has ordered the committee to pack out as customers of the hotel were being scared by the heavy presence of security personnel, including soldiers and the police. A source close to the committee told our correspondent that the clerk of the Adamawa House of Assembly, Mr. Francis Gbansenso had been running from pillar to post to source for another venue but his efforts were fruitless as other hotels he visited equally allegedly turned down his request for the use of their premises for the fear that their customers might also be scared away by the presence of security personnel. Following its inability to secure any venue for its sitting, the panel, it was gathered moved to the NLC club, where the state chairman of the NLC tactically turned down, their request as he was said to be in Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj. NLC Club, NUJ Press Centre rejected probe panel Efforts by the panel to secure the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) also proved abortive as the journalists vehemently refused to accede to the request. A former national officer of the NUJ, who is alleged to be in the fore-front of negotiation for the release of the venue, allegedly contacted North East zonal leadership of the union in order to compel Adamawa council leadership to release the centre to the panel. But following disagreement within the state leadership of the body, an emergency state executive council meeting was convened where majority of the members kicked against the use of the NUJ press centre for the panel sitting. Efforts by the Clerk of the Adamawa State House of Assembly to provide soldiers to secure the building could not convince the journalists who stood their ground. It was gathered that the Clerk of the Assembly had earlier deposited N170,000 for the which was refunded after the state executive council of the NUJ had rejected the use of the centre and information available to LEADERSHIP indicated that the panel was yet to secure a venue as at the time of filing this report. Meanwhile, there were reports that the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, had hurriedly left for Abuja, for an undisclosed meeting. In a related development, the Council of Chiefs and Emirs in the state held a closed-door meeting towards mediating between the Executive and Legislative arms of government who have been at daggers drawn for weeks in the state. Obasanjo, Nyako attend Council of State meeting Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako were among former heads of state and state governors who attended the council of state meeting currently taking place at the presidential villa, Abuja. While Obasanjo is the only former head of state who hardly attended the council of state meeting, Nyako who has impeachment proceedings hanging on his neck, appeared unruffled when he appeared at the Villa. When his Borno and Yobe counterparts, Ibrahim Shettima and Ibrahim Gaidam accompanied former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown to the presidential villa for the safe schools initiative about a month ago, Nyako did not show up. But LEADERSHIP gathered that the attendance of Obasanjo and Nyako may not be unconnected with last minute efforts to save the governor’s job, as the panel set up to probe him defied the public holiday he declared in the state and proceeded to hold it sitting on Tuesday. Gusau Absent The minister of defence, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, was absent at the Council of State meeting yesterday. A source told LEADERSHIP that the reason for his absence was not known. However, he had attended a meeting at the vice president’s office the previous day. Another source said the minister might have travelled out of the country.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 07:44:08 +0000
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