Posted by From DAVID MOLOMO, Yola on
Adamawa State lawmakers on Monday passed a motion to impeach Governor Murtala Nyako, for alleged gross misconduct.
Adamawa State lawmakers on Monday passed a motion to impeach Governor Murtala Nyako, for alleged gross misconduct.
The impeachment notice was read on the floor of the House by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Aliyu Isa Ahmadu and signed by 20 out of 25 members of the House.
The impeachment notice, later made available to Daily Sun leveled allegations of fictitious, frivolous, fraudulent and inflated contracts and spending of public funds not covered by the budget against the government, besides the alleged payment of N45 million as contributions to a non-existent body.
Nyako was also alleged to have committed many unconstitutional acts in the discharge of his duties, including illegal establishment of a body not covered by law, referred to as ‘Special Projects Directorate,' just as he was accused of appointing his children, namely Rabi Nyako, Maryam Nyako, Hassan Nyako, Dr Murtala Nyabo as coordinators as well as a serving Naval Commander, Abdul-Aziz Nyako as the general overseer of the directorate.
Other allegations preferred against the governor include alleged payment of N106 million to a body known as Policy Formulation, manned by his children, Dr Murtala Nyako, Hassan Nyako and Abdul-Aziz Nyako.
The lawmakers further alleged that although the state government did not sponsor Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the last Hajj, the sum of N360 million was allocated under the guise that the money would be used for Hajj seats for citizens of the state.
Nyako was also alleged to have obtained a loan from a bank to the tune of N5billion with a repayment rate of N457,211,021.99 million per month, without authorization from the state House of Assembly, contrary to section 120 (2) (3) and (4) of the Nigerian Constitution.
The governor was further alleged to have frozen the account of Mayo-Belwa Local Government and authorized illegal deductions made from the joint accounts of local governments in the state, thereby starving the third tier government of funds to implement their projects for the benefit of the people and with the local governments most times ending up with overdraft to pay salaries.
Other fictitious spendings alleged against Nyako include payment of N182,375,000 for shipping and handling of 15 hospital equipment; payment of N25,000,000.00 to the Commissioner of Agriculture to travel to South Africa for an international conference; purchase of Speaker's vehicle, at the cost of N35,209,125, payment of N60 million to enable government to facilitate free medical care; payment of another N60 million death gratuity in respect of one Abdul Isah.
The lawmakers alleged that despite stating on so many occasions that his personal house was better than the Government House, Nyako still spent N141 million on furniture, which was allegedly not supplied.
The notice said: 'That Governor Murtala Hamman Yero Nyako has, by his several actions, contravened his oath of office, which states, in part, that, ‘I will preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that in all circumstance, will do right to all manner of people, according to law without fear or favour affection of ill will."'
The notice, the lawmakers argued further, was in line with the powers vested on the House by section 188 of Constitution.
However, reacting to the notice, the Principal Special Assistant to Nyako on Media, Alhaji Aminu, said that the governor had not been served. He linked the development to the governor's refusal for lawmakers to have their associates and cronies nominated as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearers in the forthcoming council elections.