Nyako plans resignation as seven-man impeachment panel begins sitting

The seven-man impeachment panel constituted to probe the allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and his Deputy, Bala Ngilari, commenced sitting in Yola on Monday behind closed doors under heavily armed security guards.
The sitting of the panel members is holding at a private hotel, J&J Holiday Villa.
This was even as indications emerged on Monday night that Nyako was set to resign from office, barring any last minute change of heart.
Nyako and Ngilari are presently facing impeachment moves from members of the state House of Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct.
While Nyako contemplates resignation, it was also gathered that a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, flew into Yola on Monday and is reportedly making moves to stop the impeachment from materialising.
The stern looking armed security personnel were stationed in and around the hotel, just as a military Armoured Personnel Carrier was stationed along the street leading to the venue to scare away possible intruders.
The military high command has denied having any hand in the bid to remove Nyako, despite the takeover of the residence of the Adamawa State Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, by armed soldiers.
However, members of the panel were earlier scheduled to be inaugurated in the morning, as announced earlier by the Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Abubakar Babayola, but the situation suddenly changed when the state government declared Monday and Tuesday as public holidays, ostensibly to prevent the Acting Chief Judge from inaugurating the penal.
This was even as journalists who converged at the venue of the panel’s sitting for coverage of the inaugural meeting were chased away by the security men.
Commenting on this development, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Solomon Kumanga, expressed regret that the panel closed its doors to journalists.
This was despite the fact that one of its terms of references was to conduct its sittings in public.
Kumanga, however, promised to wade into the issue to ensure that the media was accorded its proper position during the panel’s assignment.
Meanwhile, the soldiers numbering over 10 took over the home of the Chief Justice in the Maskari area of Jimeta on Friday, shortly before Mammadi announced on public radio and television stations the names of the seven-member panel to probe the allegations of misdeeds against Nyako.
There were indications on Monday that the panel might conclude its work within the week to pave the way for the early exit of Nyako from office and clear the way for Ngilari, who is likely to be cleared, to take over the mantle of leadership in the state.
However, other sources, which doubted the chances of the deputy governor becoming the governor, said that the Speaker who hails from the same area with him, does not see to eye with him, hence would not give power to his supposed political enemy.
Vanguard.