In a flagrant defiance of the court orders, members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly have directed the state’s acting Chief Judge, Ambrose Mamadi, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate, within seven days, acts of gross misconduct leveled against Governor Murtala Nyako and his deputy, Bala Ngilari.
Twenty out of 25 lawmakers, in a resolution read out by the speaker, Umaru Fintiri, on Wednesday signed and approved that the Chief Judge should constitute the panel with immediate effect.
On June 26, a Yola High Court presided over by Mr. Mamadi, had restrained the lawmakers from
carrying out the impeachment process until the case is decided by the court.
The House accused the acting Chief Judge of passing a ‘voodoo judgement’.
In its resolution on Wednesday, the lawmakers said the proceedings of the investigative panel should be held in public and conducted from the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each of the seven days.
The speaker, Mr. Fintiri, said d that that the House took decision after Messrs. Nyako and Ngilari failed to clear themselves of the allegations of gross misconduct.
The lawmakers then adopted the Panel of Investigation Rules of Procedure of Adamawa State, which Mr. Fintiri said should include a chairman, a secretary and five others as members. The panel would also adopt ordinary rules of fair hearing.
“The panel shall in the course of its proceedings adopt the ordinary rules of fair hearing.
The panel may, however, in its discretion, be guided by the High Court civil Rules of Adamawa State and the provisions of the Evidence Act, 2009,” Mr. Fintiri said.
Meanwhile, the Defence Counsel to Mr. Nyako, Ayo Akam, who held brief for Kanu Agabi, at a Yola High Court sitting, described the action of the Adamawa House of Assembly as a contempt of court since the court had restrained the house from going ahead with the impeachment process.
