Nyako: Impeachment panel begins sitting

Soldiers and riot police men were stationed in and outside the J & J Holiday Villa, venue of the sitting, which is located at Karewa GRA, Yola. Journalists were, however, denied access to the hotel. The inauguration ceremony for the-7 man panel, scheduled for Monday, did not take place due to the sudden declaration of […]

Soldiers and riot police men were stationed in and outside the J & J Holiday Villa, venue of the sitting, which is located at Karewa GRA, Yola. Journalists were, however, denied access to the hotel.
The inauguration ceremony for the-7 man panel, scheduled for Monday, did not take place due to the sudden declaration of a two day holiday announced by the state government on Sunday. However, the Chief Registrar of the Adamawa High Court, Abubakar Babayola, said inauguration is not a requirement for the committee to commence its assignment.
The Director of Press, Adamawa Government House, Ahmad Sajoh, in his reaction, said government would challenge the impeachment process in court, saying both the Assembly and the Chief Judge have violated the law.
“We are challenging the process, the CJ who reversed himself and the House of Assembly members who defied a court order,” he stated. Meanwhile, it was reliably learnt that embattled Governor Murtala Nyako may tender his resignation letter in order to avoid being impeached.
The Adamawa State House of Assembly, few weeks ago, came out with a list of 20 acts of gross misconduct allegedly committed by the governor consequent upon which the Speaker Ahmadu Fintiri directed the Clerk of the state assembly to serve him impeachment notice.
The allegations range from fraudulent diversion of public funds, extra-budgetary expenditure, appointment of family members and friends into public offices and misappropriation of public funds, among others.
The lawmakers accused Nyako of diversion of N2.3 billion meant for workers salaries and illegal diversion N142 million emoluments of workers and another N1 billion earmarked for the Adamawa State Scholarship Trust Fund.
They also alleged diversion of over N400m out of the N500m Federal Government Intervention fund for flood victims in Adamawa State in year 2011.
Also on the list are extra-budgetary expenditures of N1.7 billion and N166 million respectively in respect of ‘fictitious’ special assistants and personal assistants allowances as well as N4.8 billion and N7.1 billion in 2013 and 2014, respectively, expended through the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
The office of the state Coordinator of Millenium Development Goals (MDG’S) is also alleged to have spent N1 billion outside the approved budget in 2013.
Allegations relating to fraudulent award of contracts in order to siphon public funds, include contracts of N8 billion and N300 million awarded to SNECOU and Hydrosource Ltd, both of which did not deliver the services.
The lawmakers further accused Nyako of violation of Adamawa State Law by appointing his wife, Dr. Halima H. Nyako as the Chairman Adamawa State Action Committee on AIDS and of financial strangulation of the local government councils under pretext of joint projects and security challenges in Mubi and other parts of Adamawa State.
The impeachment panel  is chaired by Buba Kaimaga from Mubi Northern Zone. Other members are Laraba Hassan (Michika, Northern Zone), Njidda Kito (Song, Central Zone), Joshua Abu (Hong, Central Zone), Binanu Esthon (Guyuk, Southern Zone), Sa’ad Lawan (Mayo-Belwa, Southern Zone) and Esthon Gapsiso (Ganye, Southern Zone).