Lawyers say Nyako mayy still return
Some lawyers yesterday said hope is not lost for impeached Adamawa governor Murtala Nyako, as he could still return if he challenges his impeachment in court.
Speaking with Daily Trust, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) said the impeachment was marred by a catalogue of constitutional aberrations.
“The police orderly of the acting chief judge was withdrawn and replaced with soldiers who forced him to set up the impeachment panel,” he said.
“The governor challenged the method adopted by the House of Assembly for the impeachment in court. The acting chief judge inaugurated the panel when his tenure had expired and in utter contempt of court, the panel and the House proceeded to impeach the governor.”
Falana said the swearing in of the speaker as acting governor is also illegal as the resignation of the deputy governor was not received by Governor Nyako as stated in the constitution before his impeachment.
Also, former chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch, Monday Ubani, said Nyako can still challenge the process of his removal.
Ubani said if some of the reports about the proceedings are true, Nyako has a good ground to challenge the impeachment.
On the tenure of the acting governor before a new election, Ubani said it is a matter of the constitution and the Electoral Act stipulation that whenever a governor and his deputy are impeached, the acting governor must conduct a new election within three months.
On his part, Festus Keyamu said the impeachment process was politically motivated rather than for national interest.
He said, however, the procedure adopted followed the constitution.