— Says won’t resign
— Panel pastes summons on gov, deputy’s office gates
By Abdullahi M. Gulloma, Abuja, and Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, Yola
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state has said that he would not hesitate to seek President Goodluck Jonathan’s assistance over the threat by members of the state House of Assembly to impeach him and his deputy when the need for such presidential intervention arises.
Nyako said this yesterday in Abuja while fielding questions from State House correspondents.
Asked if he had been trying to reach out to the president over the crisis, 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.”
He said since the issue was before the court, he expected the lawmakers to obey the rules in anything they do.
He added: “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. 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 every one 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.”
The governor also dismissed rumours of resignation and plan to return to the Peoples a Democratic Party (PDP), saying, “Resignation is not on the table for now.”
Nyako added:“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 interior 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 is likely to step on toes of a few.”
Panel Pastes Summons on Gov, Deputy’s Office Gates
In Yola, the drama continued yesterday as the seven-man panel set up by the state lawmakers to investigate allegations of gross misconduct preferred against Nyako and his deputy Bala James Ngillari pasted the notices of appearance on the office gates of the duo.
Reports indicate that the notices of appearance pasted separately at the entrance gates of Dougirei Government House, Yola, and the Ngillari’s office invited them to appear before the panel on June 11.
It was observed that while Nyako was to meet the panel at the Usman A. Iya Medical and Health Workers Union secretariat along Gibson Jalo Way, Jimeta, the notice of appearance on Ngillari was silent on the venue and time.
This development 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 Ngillari quashed in view of pressures mounted on it by some high-level Nigerians.
The notice of appearance for Nyako 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 9:00 am”.
Reacting, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and former state lawmaker, Hon. Ibrahim Bappa Waziri, said the development has justified the fears that the Presidency may be working to scuttle charges against the deputy governor following pressures by some groups.
“Anything could be possible because we have heard speculations that some groups and PDP blocks have been mounting pressure on the Presidency to drop charges against the deputy governor and, from what happens today, it appears that the Presidency has yielded to the pressure.”
The committee had earlier secured Ribadu Square following its rejection by the management of the hotel they were using for their activities as the management of the hotel said their presence was disrupting business.
Similarly, efforts by the panel to secure another hotel were difficult, just as the NUJ and the 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 its exercise in line with the committee’s rules of procedure by the state assembly.
When reporters went to the Ribadu Square to get clarification on the exercise, they were turned back by stern-looking policemen who said they were directed to stop anyone from into the premises.
We’re Against Impeachment – Religious Leaders
Religious leaders in the state have kicked against the impeachment moves.
Rising from an emergency meeting, the Muslim Council in Adamawa state urged the legislators to sheath their swords and allow Nyako and his deputy to complete their remaining tenure in office, adding that removing them from office may spell doom for the state.
The National Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’a Wa Iqamatussunah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau, told reporters in Yola that the council unanimously opposed any move to impeach Nyako and Ngillari, saying the move it came at the wrong time considering the social insecurity bedeviling the state.
Lau said: “Though impeachment is a constitutional matter, we plead with the lawmakers to sheath their swords and allow the leaders to finish serving their tenure.
“We should not allow outsiders to foment trouble in our state because if it comes they would all leave us to our fate to suffer the consequences of our inactions.”
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.
He said the impeachment move was a bad omen to the state.
Aguwa said: “There is need for all the stakeholders to embrace dialogue so that the lingering crisis can be nipped in the bud. People are suffering as up till now salaries have not been paid, as a result of which many hapless families were further subjected to hardship.
“We are in the holy month of Ramadan, a sacred month for the Muslims. We the Christians must do whatever we could to ensure that the fasting embarked by our brothers and sisters is conducted smoothly.”
