Adamawa Impeachment: I Have No Plans To Resign – Nyako Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako has said that he has no plans to resign from office, saying that he may seek help from President Goodluck Jonathan against the ongoing process by the state House of Assembly to impeach him when the need arises. According to him, Jonathan would likely step in since the state had also been there for the President because he too would have to intervene when it matters. The governor who stated this yesterday when he stormed the presidential villa in Abuja where he attended the inauguration of the steering committee of the Safe Schools Initiative by the president and is also a member of the committee. Responding to questions by journalists whether he had been making attempt to get the president to intervene, Nyako said, “Not yet. It has not reached that crisis point. We have supported him all this time; he has supported us and in situations like these when Mr. President’s support is required, we will seek it.” Asked whether he might likely resign, he said he was not considering that yet, even as he said his chances of surviving the ongoing impeachment proceedings in the state were bright. The governor noted that since the issue was before the court, it was expected that the House of Assembly members would obey the rules in anything they do. “Well, it is in the court and the court said it was not well done. We are hoping that if they want to do it, they will do it following the normal process in whatever they want to do,” Nyako stated, just as he claimed that the state was calm and peaceful. On whether some former Heads of State had spoken to the President on his behalf, the governor said, “That would be excellent”. Asked to give insight into the root cause of the crisis, he said:” Adamawa is a very interesting place. If I tell you we have 87 ethnic groups and the two religions are fairly balanced, It means that being sensitive to each and everyone of us is very important. “It is a place of intellectualism; everybody has his own point of view and you have a group of people who share a certain point of view. And until it changes, they will maintain that point of view. But we have been peaceful somehow and we will remain peaceful”, he pledged. On whether he nursed the plan to defect back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyako noted that: “Quite frankly, you know how I joined the PDP and partisan politics in the first place. It is not really my field. My field is known. You know what I was before. We are straightforward; have two distinctions: loyalty and disloyalty; two separate pieces. “But one of the politicians told me that there are a lot of things in between loyalty and disloyalty which up till this moment I have not appreciated. So, for me, disloyalty with this type of attitude with Nigerian politics of today you are likely to step on toes of a few. “ The governor who was looking unruffled as he walked briskly into President Goodluck Jonathan’s office was also in Aso rock on Tuesday where he attended the council of state meeting. Clad in a white Caftan and a black cap to match, Nyako who drove into the villa at about 2:00pm did not use his official car. He was driven into the place in a black Toyota Camry (Camry Muscle) with Gombe State number plate. Confusion trails notice of appearance on Nyako, deputy Confusion is now trailing the notice of appearance served on Governor Murtala Nyako and his Deputy Bala James Ngillari by the 7-man Panel of Investigation set up to investigate allegations of gross Misconduct preferred against Governor Nyako and his Deputy by the state lawmakers. The notices of appearance which were pasted separately at the gates of the Government House, Yola and the office of deputy governor, Bala Ngilari, invited the two leaders to appear before the panel on the June 11, 2014. But while Nyako was to meet the investigative panel at the Usman A. Iya Medical and Health Workers Union Secretariat along Gibson Jalo Way Jimeta, the notice of appearance on the deputy governor was silent on the venue and time when the Deputy Governor was to meet the panel. The development has caused many to suspect foul play as rumours going round the state have been suggesting that the Presidency was working to get the charges against Ngilari quashed in view of mounting pressures on the presidency by some high-brow Nigerians. Nyako’s notice of appearance read: “Take notice this action or matter will be heard by this panel at Usman A Iya Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, at Gibson Jalo Road on 11th July 2014 at 9:00am”. Commenting on the development, an APC stalwart Ibrahim Bappa Waziri says the development has justified their fears that the Presidency may be working to scuttle charges against Ngilari following mounting pressures by some organisations and individuals. The committee had earlier pencilled Ribadu Square for the conduct of its exercise following its rejection by the management of the Hotel they were using for their activities as the management of the hotel said their presence disrupting their businesses. Efforts by the panel to secure another hotel have proven difficult as all the hotels they approached turned down request for the usage of their premises by the panel just as NUJ and NUT declined to release their premises for the exercise. As at the time of filing this report, the panel was yet to make public announcement signaling the commencement of their exercise in line with the committee’s rules of procedures by the state House of Assembly. When reporters stormed the Ribadu Square to get clarifications on the exercise, they were turned back by stern-looking policemen who said they were directed not to allow anyone including journalists into the premises. We are against impeachment of Nyako, Ngillari – Religious leaders The move to impeach Nyako and his deputy has been condemned by religious leaders in Adamawa State saying it was an invitation to chaos. Rising from an emergency meeting, the Muslim Council in Adamawa State urged the legislators to sheathe their swords and allow Nyako and his deputy to complete their remaining tenure in office, adding that the removal of the duo may spell doom for the state. The National Chairman of Jamaatul Izalatul Bid’a Waiqamatussunah (JIBWIS) Sheik Abdullahi Bala Lau, told reporters in Yola that the Council was unanimously against any move to impeach Nyako and Ngilari as he said it came at the wrong time considering the social insecurity bedevilling the state. “Though impeachment is a constitutional matter, we plead with the lawmakers to sheath their swords and allow the leaders to finish serving their tenure. Also commenting, Reverend Iliya Aguwa noted that Adamawa State was in dire need of peace, hence the need for politicians in the state to avoid overheating the polity saying that the impeachment move against the governor and his deputy was a bad omen for the state. CJ’s vacuum stalls Nyako’s case However, the suit filed by Governor Murtala Nyako and the All Progressive Congress APC, challenging the impeachment process embarked upon by the Adamawa state House of Assembly was stalled on Wednesday due to the absence of a substantive Chief Judge following the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past holder of that office, Hon. Justice Ambrose Mammadi, whose tenure expired on Tuesday, July 8, 2014. Following the resolution of the state House of Assembly to serve the Governor substituted charges through the print and electronic media, resulting from the failure of the clerk of the house to serve the notices personally on the two leaders, Governor Murtala Nyako has filed a case challenging the legality of the substituted charges at the Yola High Court. The then acting CJ, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, has fixed Wednesday 9th July 2014 for the next hearing of the suit but his tenure in office elapsed on Tuesday 8th July 2014 and as such, the case could not continue as his tenure was not renewed. While commenting on the issue, former Attorney General of Adamawa State, Prof. Maxwell Gidado, said once the office of the acting Chief Judge became vacant no case can be assigned to the court. He said that was against the backdrop of such lacuna that it becomes compelling for all state chief executives to ensure that a substantive Chief Judge was always appointed. He said Governor Murtala Nyako under the present circumstances was not status barred from nominating the most senior judge in the state to the National Judicial commission to occupy the position. Jonathan should call his attacking dogs to order – APC North-east A call has gone to President Goodluck Jonathan to call his attacking dogs, who are behind the on-going attempt being made to impeach Governor Murtala Nyako unlawfully to order. The call was made yesterday in Abuja by the leadership of the North East of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were having their inaugural caucus meeting in preparation for the National Working Committee of the party. Speaking through its National Vice Chairman, Babachir-David Lawal, they also called for the reopening of the Miaduguri International Airport and to bring back the abducted women which they claimed were not fewer than 1000. Investigative panel secures venue The investigative panel set up to prove allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Murtala Nyako and Deputy Governor Bala James has finally secured Ribadu Square a public place for their sitting.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 11:15:13 +0000
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