Court Installs Ngilari As Adamawa Gov, Sacks Fintiri

A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Umar Fintiri, who has been acting as governor of the state, following the impeachment of Murtala Nyako in July 2014, to vacate the position.

Justice Ademola Adeniyi, presiding over the matter, asked the former deputy governor of the state, James Bala Ngilari, to be sworn in as the substantive governor of the state.

Some minutes before Nyako was impeached by the House, Ngilari had allegedly tendered his resignation letter to the state lawmakers, but Nyako later said his deputy should have sent the letter to him (Nyako) since he was still the governor as at that time and not to the State House of Assembly.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Adeniyi submitted that the alleged resignation of Ngilari on July 14, 2014 was invalid, null and void as it breached the provisions of sections 306(1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution because it was addressed to the Speaker and acted upon by the House of Assembly.

This latest court judgement cancels the planned bye-election in Adamawa State for Saturday, October 11, 2014.

Arguing through his counsel, Festus Keyamo, Ngilari noted that by virtue of section 191 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, being the next in the line of succession, after the impeachment of Nyako, should have been inaugurated as governor.

He said section 306 (1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) stipulated that his resignation from office as deputy governor could only be addressed to the substantive governor at that time who he claimed was Nyako.