COURT OKAYS ADAMAWA IMPEACHMENT PROCESS

An Adamawa State High Court presided over by the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mamadi, yesterday dismissed an application by Governor Murtala Nyako through his counsel, Ayo Akams, to restrain the state House of Assembly from proceeding on his impeachment process. Delivering the ruling, Mamadi said no breach of Section 188 (1-9) of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended was committed by the Assembly. The court had earlier granted an interim injunction on June 26 restraining the House from proceeding with the impeachment process against the governor which lasted till July 2. In his reaction, counsel to Nyako, Barr. Ayo Akams, said he was happy that the court said it had jurisdiction to hear cases pertaining to the impeachment. “I am comfortable. My joy is that the court did not say it has no jurisdiction to entertain the case. The case is still pending before the court, I am okay with it. The action taken by the House of Assembly yesterday made it clear that is a violation of court orders,’’ he said. The House of Assembly had Wednesday asked the acting chief judge to set up a seven man panel to investigate alleged impeachable offences committed by Nyako and his deputy but there is controversy on whether the resolution has been communicated to the chief judge. The Chief Press Secretary to the state Assembly, Solomon Kumangar, confirmed that the letter conveying the directive was received by the chief judge, saying the clerk had already sent it and it was received at the chambers of the acting chief judge before closing hours Thursday. The Chief Registrar of the High Court, Alh. Abubakar Babayola, however denied knowledge of any communication, saying, “As I talk to you now, we are yet to receive their correspondence.”