Posted by By STEVEN MUSA, Yola on
Adamawa State Executive Council was on Thursday dissolved by the State Acting Governor, Alhaji Bello Tukur, who assumed office on Tuesday, sequel to his adoption and endorsement by the state House of Assembly on Monday.
Adamawa State Executive Council was on Thursday dissolved by the State Acting Governor, Alhaji Bello Tukur, who assumed office on Tuesday, sequel to his adoption and endorsement by the state House of Assembly on Monday.
The dissolution came on a day when embattled Governor Boni Haruna's attempt to gain upper hand in the power tussle suffered a setback, as a Yola High Court refused to grant an interlocutory application filed by the Adamawa State Government to restrain lawmakers from proceeding with the impeachment of the governor.
It will be recalled that on Tuesday, barely 24 hours after Tukur's appointment was ratified, he dissolved the local government councils in a state wide broadcast.
On Wednesday, the acting governor removed the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Piton Peter Power, and the Commissioner of Information, Mr Yohanna Mathias. The SSG's removal, he said, was informed by the need for Dr. Power to pursue his political ambition but gave no reason for Mathias' removal.
Tukur, on Thursday, in a press release, signed by the Acting Governor's Press Secretary, Alhaji Mohammadu Gidado Bello, stated that the dissolution was with immediate effect. Bello said the permanent secretaries of the respective ministries had been directed to take charge pending further directives.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Yola has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to defreeze the accounts of the 21 local government councils in the state.
Delivering the judgment, Justice M.D Umar of the Federal High Court in a suit filed by the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and 21 others against EFCC, issued an interlocutory order, requesting EFCC to de-freeze the accounts pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.
Hearing on the substantive suit is slated for Wednesday, March 28, 2007.
In the case before the Yola High Court, the exparte application moved by the counsel to Governor Haruna, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), had sought for an interim order restraining the State House of Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment of the governor, until the determination of the substantive suit before the court.
Adamawa State Government had filed a case against the state House of Assembly, challenging the process of service of the impeachment notice, which was served through a confidential secretary instead of the principal personal secretary to the governor.
However, in his ruling on whether the court could grant the prayer sought through an exparte motion, Justice Nathan Musa said the court could not grant the prayers in view of the nature of the case before it.
He said the case should be heard on motion on notice and directed that the defendants be served with the motion to enable them appear before the court.
The case was adjourned to February 21, 2007 for hearing.