The Save Adamawa State Movement (SASM) has described as criminal the alleged plan by the Governor Murtala Nyako-led administration in Adamawa state to obtain a N40 billion loan in form of bond despite a pending court action against same.
According to the group, to do that would amount to lawlessness and a disrespect of the court process.
SASM’s position was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its chairman, Engr. Albert Stephen.
The state High Court, presided over by Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, last Thursday adjourned to April 30, 2014, for further hearing.
In adjourning the suit, the court ruled that it was to enable the plaintiffs reply, among others, to the objections of the defendants to the effect that they lack the locus standi to sue the state government regarding sourcing of loans.
Raising alarm over alleged plan to go for the disputed loans, the group said it would not accept a situation in which a matter pending in court would be circumvented by a defendant, by allegedly going behind to take a bond in the twilight of the administration in the state.
The suit, instituted by Albert and two others against the governor, the state government and the House of Assembly over the $24 million loan and the new loans – the N40 billion bond and another N2.015 billion loan, indicated that it was clear that an administration with just about a year to the end of its tenure “does not mean well for the state by attempting to strangle the state financially.”
He said: “What we refuse to accept is that while the matter is still pending in court, the state government in order to circumvent the pending suit has taken or is in the process of taking a total of N43 billion naira loan.”
