Court Sacks Adamawa Acting Governor, Nyako’s Deputy To Be Sworn-In As Governor

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Wednesday, October 8th, 2014

By Femi Kehinde

A Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola has ordered that the former Deputy Governor , Bala Ngilari be sworn in as Governor of Adamawa State on the grounds that he did not resign from office in accordance with the Constitution.

Bala Ngilari

Justice Ademola also stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting bye-election into the Governor’s office.

To avoid impeachment in the heat of governor’s Nyako’s probe, Mr Ngilari had written to the speaker and the house of assembly resigning his position as deputy governor.

However, Justice Adeniyi ruled on Wednesday morning that for the resignation letter to be valid, it must be addressed to the governor and not the speaker of the house in line with section 306 (1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The Judge further declared Ahmadu Fintiri’s occupation of the Governor’s office as illegal and ordered the State’s Chief Judge or President of the Customary Court of Appeal to swear in Ngilari as substantive governor forthwith.

Meanwhile, sequel to the ruling, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has announced cancellation of a stakeholder’s meeting for this weekend Adamawa state governorship by-election.

African Examiner Online Correspondent in Abuja gathered from a source in INEC office that the cancellation was due to uncertainty which surrounds holding of the election in which the sacked Acting Governor was also contesting under the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).