FG Freezes Adamawa State Government Accounts

As the onslaught against Governor Murtala Nyako by the forces opposed to him continues, the federal government has allegedly closed bank accounts being operated by Adamawa State government. The development came less than 24 hours after the State House of Assembly commenced an impeachment process against the governor. Sources said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been given the directive to effect the closure of the accounts. The director of press and public affairs to Governor Murtala Nyako, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh said the development was a confirmation of the desperate move by President Goodluck Jonathan and his cohorts to asphyxiate the state of its lean resources so as to frustrate Governor Nyako from performing his legitimate duties. “The move has confirmed the desperation of the Presidency to witchhunt persons he perceived as enemies even if the electorate will be subjected to hardship. The closure of the accounts will affect workers’ salaries and social services, especially during Ramadan fast,” he said. He added that Adamawa people had been subjected to untold hardship under President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency as the Presidency, without qualms, had shown wanton insensitivity and disregard to their rights, leading to the unjustifiable imposition of Emergency Rule in the state. “The freezing of government bank accounts directive by federal government is just another step in the series of harassment and victimisation of not only political opponents, but the people of Adamawa State. We are approaching Ramadan and, definitely, the action will affect salaries of workers and other social services,” he stated. He said the devious roles being played by the federal government were intended to destabilise the state, hence the federal government was dishing out punishments in rapid succession as evident in the shutdown of Yola International Airport to prevent the governor from flying to Abuja; the commencement of impeachment process and the closure of bank accounts operated by the Adamawa government. Sajoh added that the master minds of the current harassment of political opponents and genuine democrats were intending to create chaos in the polity and, apparently, did not care about the health of Nigeria’s nascent democracy. He argued that the lawmakers had no right to serve Nyako with an impeachment notice containing allegations bordering on government transactions conducted between 2007 and 2011 since the present Assembly came in 2011.