NYAKO LOSES BID TO STOP IMPEACHMENT

NYAKO LOSES BID TO STOP IMPEACHMENT

GOVERNOR Murtala Nyako’s hopes of stalling his impeachment dimmed significantly yesterday as the Adamawa State High Court, Yola, dismissed his bid to stop the House of Assembly from continuing with the process until the determination of the substantive suit.

In his ruling, the state’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mamadi, dismissed Nyako’s application on the ground that the lawmakers did not violate any part of section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

He said the application was filed to pre-empt the action of the Adamawa House of Assembly on the allegations of gross misconduct made against the governor by the lawmakers.

Coming barely 24 hours after the lawmakers asked Justice Mamadi to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate Nyako and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct, the judgment has ended the governor’s battle to escape being investigated.

The House of Assembly two weeks ago served a notice of impeachment on the governor and his deputy, with 20-count charges of gross misconduct on the governor and six on his deputy.

However, Nyako fled the state to evade being personally served the notice, thereby prompting the House to serve the duo through the mass media.

The eight-page impeachment notice contained 20 allegations of gross financial misconduct running into several billions of naira.

Nevertheless, counsel to the plaintiff, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who was represented by Ayo Akam, said the ruling did not affect the substantive suit before the court.

However, the Adamawa State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Tahir Shehu, who described the ruling as welcome development, said the judgment has cleared the air for the lawmakers to continue with their constitutional responsibility of overseeing the activities of government officials in the state.