Adamawa Acting Governor Sets up Panels to Probe Nyako’s Administration

Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri


• We are yet to officially communicate to INEC of Nyako’s removal, says assembly

Daji sani
The acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, has approved the constitution of two investigative panels of inquiry to investigate the former administration of Governor Murtala Nyako from June 2007 to June 2014.
The two approvals were contained in two separate statements signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Abdulahi Liman Tukur, and made available to journalists yesterday in Yola, the state capital.

Fintiri said the judicial panel of inquiry would undertake a comprehensive assessment of the ousted Nyako’s administration from June 2007 to June 2014, while the other investigative panel would undertake a comprehensive assessment of the operations of the Adamawa Homes and Savings Limited.

According to the statement, 'The judicial panel of inquiry is made up of Hon. Justice Bobbo Umar as Chairman of the panel, Dedan Nyari, Secretary, Sammuel Kyenson prosecutor, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Leha Philmon (rtd), Zira Maigadi, Mr. Suleiman Naiwa and Abubarkar Abdullahi.

It stated that the term of reference of the panel is to investigate fund accruals to the state from June 2007 to June 2014 and also investigate the disbursement of funds to ministries, boards and agencies over the stipulated period.

“To identify those involved in inappropriate financial disbursement and application; investigate recruitment, deployment and administration of human resources including the setting up, financing and operation of extra ministerial units; investigate any other issue that the panel may find relevant to its assignment; make recommendations on all issues investigated and submit reports within four weeks,” it stated.

The panel saddled with the responsibility of investigating the operations of the Adamawa Homes and Savings is made up of Mr. Joshua Atiku as chairman, Mahmud Bindir, as Secretary," Saidu Babikkoi, Adamu Inuwa, and Mohammed Usman Galadima as members.

“The following are the terms of reference: to investigate the conducts and operations of the Adamawa Homes and Savings; investigates it financial sources and the management of such finances; investigates housing development allocation and management administration, make recommendations and submit its reports within two weeks,” the statement further stated.

Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly, has disclosed that it is yet to officially notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the vacancy in the governorship seat in the state occasioned by the removal of Nyako from office,.

The assembly had removed Nyako and his deputy, Bala James Ngillari, from office on July 15.

However, the assembly is under obligation to notify the INEC so that necessary arrangements would be made for a rerun governorship election to fill the seat.

However, while speaking with journalists in Yola, the Chairman of the assembly Committee on Information, Mr. Adamu Kamale, said the delay in transmitting a letter to the electoral body was informed by the fact that the assembly went on recess since July 16.

He said the recess was necessary because the lawmakers went to Tanzania for a conference of the parliamentarians including the new acting Speaker, Kwamoti Laori, adding that there was no way the assembly should have communicated the INEC immediately the impeachment of Nyako because of urgency and importance of the conference.

“Coupled with the fact that some of the lawmakers, including the acting Speaker, went for a conference of parliamentarians in Tanzania, so there was no way the assembly can communicate INEC because the assembly was on recess and besides, some of us were in Tanzania for an important conference,” he said.

He debunked the allegation that the lawmakers impeached Nyako because of his failure to release statutory constituency project monies as demanded by the lawmakers.

Kamale said the process of impeachment embarked upon by the assembly was a statutory function and not for vendetta as alleged by critics of the assembly.

He also debunked the allegation by the leader of All Progressives Congress, Madam Binta Masi Garba, that the sum of N350 million was released to the legislators as part of the constituency project in the course of the impeachment process, which the ousted governor could balance up for the lawmakers, which led to the impeachment.

Kamale explained that the appropriated monies for constituency projects were statutorily not meant to be disbursed to individual lawmakers but to the appropriate ministries and parastatals to execute the projects based on the demands of the constituencies peculiarities.