…Loyalists reject APC
…PDP backs move
Following the defection of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, members of the Adamawa state House of Assembly may commence impeachment moves against the governor any moment from now.
Other PDP governors that defected to the APC are governor Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto state.
Sunday Pilot gathered that 20 members of the Adamawa state House of Assembly met with the leadership of the state chapter of PDP and other major stakeholders in the party about two weeks ago where it was agreed in principle that members of the House should remove the governor in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act (as amended).
Governor Nyako has only five members of the state legislature on his side.
According to a source at the meeting, the fate of Governor Nyako was sealed at the expanded meeting of PDP leaders in Adamawa the only area that has not been resolved was the issue of the deputy governor, James Ingilari, who is expected to take over after Nyako’s impeachment.
While some of the lawmakers and PDP leaders are in agreement with Ingilari taking over from Nyako, the issue of religion was said to have come into play as some of the party chieftains noted that it will be unfair to have Christians as both the in-coming governor and same time chairman of the party.
Both the deputy governor and the chairman of the PDP chapter recognised by the national secretariat of PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Joel Madaki, are Christians.
However, some members at the meeting canvassed that if the issue of the religion of Ingilari should be obstacle to Nyako’s removal, the governor and his deputy should be impeached to pave way for conduct of fresh governorship election in the state.
If the second option is accepted by the PDP leaders at their next meeting, Ingilari is to be compensated, so long as he publicly rejects joining the APC with his embattled boss.
It was gathered that though the defection of Governor Nyako is the underlining reason why the governor will be flushed out of office, the impeachment notice will contain retinue of constitutional breaches against the governor, which his opponents claimed are legion.
One of the charges that will be brought against Governor Nyako is the alleged illegal suspension of Guyuk Local Government chairman, Ethan Bugie by Adamawa State government over alleged insubordination. Following the suspension, Bugie alongside six out of ten of his councilors dumped the New PDP for the Bamanga Tukur faction of the party.
PDP chairman, Chief Joel Madaki in a letter to the Adamawa Assembly dated 11th September, 2011 accused the governor of misrepresenting legal provisions to justify his action. He said the section under consideration empowers the governor to dissolve local council as a body and replace it with a management committee and not to suspend or remove a chairman and swear-in another person in acting capacity.
The troubles of Governor Nyako are compounded by most of his loyalist who have refused to cross- carpet to the APC with him.
It was gathered that apart from his commissioners and other appointees, most of the PDP members in the faction loyal to Governor Nyako led by Alhaji Mijinyawa Umaru Kugama have distanced themselves from those who are cross carpeting to the APC and have opted to remain in the PDP and resolve their differences with members of the Joel Madaki faction.
According to one of our sources, the lukewarm attitude of members of APC towards the decamped PDP members is one of the major things that discouraged them from defecting with the governor.
Governor Nyako is already having running battle with General Buba Marwa and other APC leaders in the state over the control of the party structures in the state.
Marwa last week dragged Nyako to APC national leaders in Abuja over the battle for the control of the soul of APC in Adamawa state.