The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress have intensified their battle to control Adamawa State.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the PDP was working hard to force the state governor, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, to resign so that the ruling party could recapture the state.

The governor, it was further learnt, almost bowed to pressure from the PDP members in the state House of Assembly when the investigative panel set up by the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, began sitting in Yola early in the week.

It was learnt that the governor was ready to resign early this week.

It was, however, gathered that his party, APC, persuaded him not to resign, while the party leadership continued to lobby some of the lawmakers.

Sources said the APC thought that it was still premature for Nyako to resign while the leadership of the party was trying to frustrate the impeachment plot.

There were reports that the embattled governor would, on Tuesday, tender his resignation letter and pave way for his deputy, Mr. Bala Ngilari, to be sworn in as governor.

Nyako, who was reported to have left Abuja for Yola, the Adamawa State capital, to resign however made a surprise appearance at the National Council of State meeting on Tuesday.

His spokesman, Ahmed Sajo, was reported on Wednesday as saying that his boss was still considering resignation.

He had said, “The resignation is just an option. That is if the whole thing will lead to a crisis, there will be no option than to resign.”

But a member of the APC National Working Committee, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that the party was not in support of the governor’s plan to resign.

He said, “We are supporting the governor and we have been working to frustrate the impeachment plot. We cannot be discussing our strategies on the pages of newspapers.

“But we do not want him to resign. He has been told not to resign.”

Nyako had, in the letter, accused the President of committing genocide against the North in the name of Boko Haram. But the governor was said to have refused to apologise at the meeting.

While the APC leadership lobbied some lawmakers in Adamawa State, it was gathered that the PDP was also putting pressure on them not to back down from the impeachment plot.

Efforts to get reactions of the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, failed as he had yet to respond to the text message sent to his mobile telephone.

But Mohammed had on Wednesday accused “higher authorities” of instigating the impeachment.

Though the PDP, distanced itself from the issue, saying that it should not be dragged into the impeachment plot, the spokesman for PDP Stakeholders and Elders’ Forum, Dr. Umar Ardo, on Friday threatened to sanction any legislator on the party’s platform who backs out of the move to impeach Nyako and Ngilari.

Ardo said, “The impending impeachment of Nyako and his deputy is a PDP affair, we have got to a level where none of our 20 lawmakers who earlier signed the impeachment notice will be allowed to withdraw. Any PDP lawmaker that retraces his step ceases to be a member of PDP.”

Speaking through its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, on Thursday, the PDP said that it would be uncharitable for anyone to drag the national headquarters of the party into the crisis.

He said, “What is happening in Adamawa State is a local affair. Members of the state House of Assembly were elected by their people to represent them.

“Even Governor Murtala Nyako, who has since left the PDP, has told the whole world that he will ask for President Jonathan’s help if he needs it.

“I don’t know why you want to drag our party into an issue that is purely a local affair between a governor and his legislators.”

But a member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa State, Mr. Nwangubi Fons, said that only God could save Nyako from being impeached.

Incidentally, Fons, who represents Mayo-Belwa/Jada/Ganye Federal Constituency, is the governor’s representative.

Nyako hails from Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of the state.

“Unless there is divine intervention, the governor is going, because members of the state House of Assembly are on the right path,” Fons told Saturday PUNCH in an interview in Abuja.

He said the Adamawa lawmakers had already gone far in their decision to impeach Nyako, whom he accused of running the state without consulting other stakeholders, particularly those who supported his election in 2007.

Asked what could have been the governor’s offence, Fons replied that Nyako did not feel that he should be accountable to the people of the state.

He said, “Nyako has failed to work based on the principle of budgeting.

“He overspends money and maintains only his family and friends in the system. He has abandoned those who worked for him and has no respect for anybody, including Mr. President.

“When he came into office, the first thing he did was to do away with the person, who single-handedly brought him to office, Prof. Jibrin Aminu.

“If the governor has been good, how come all the eight members of the House of Representatives from the state are in PDP?

“Hardly will anybody say that the governor is performing.

“If you are good as a governor, 19 members of the state House of Assembly will not sign to impeach you. It means that they have abandoned the governor.”

However, Nyako’s spokesperson, Sajo, faulted the lawmakers’ planned impeachment, adding that the people had rejected them.

He said, “Some of these members of the state and National Assembly brought rice and sugar to distribute to people, but the people rejected the gifts. This, you will agree with me, tells how the people have rejected them.

“The people rejected these gifts in spite of the untold hardship they are passing through even during this holy month of Ramadan.

“As a politician when this happens, you have to take a second look at yourself. Then somebody sits down in Abuja and tells you that the governor has lost people.

“Do you have an idea of how many people gathered when the governor inaugurated chairmen of our development areas on Thursday? The banquet hall could not contain the people, most of them sat outside.

“What the governor is interested in is to ensure that peace reigns in Adamawa State.”
http://www.punchng.com/news/impeachment-pdp-apc-clash-over-nyako/

What is your take on this?

But a member of the House of Representatives from Adamawa State, Mr. Nwangubi Fons, said that only God could save Nyako from being impeached.

Incidentally, Fons, who represents Mayo-Belwa/Jada/Ganye Federal Constituency, is the governor’s representative.

Nyako hails from Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of the state.

Even his own rep is telling him to go, nothing can save this man.

Come next year, Nyako would still be the Governor of Adamawa State. The PDP (e)mourners are just making noise as usual.

In normal countries Governors are impeached if they don't deliver to the people but apparently in this country they are Impeached if some Opposing forces wanna get rid of someone they consider a threat from power. You gotta ask yourself in all this does the peoples Vote really matter after all?

fooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..........................oooooooooooooooooooolssssssssssss

The only people that clash more than PDP and APC in Nigeria are the fulanis.



PDP and APC, clashing since the days of John the Baptist.

The truth is coming out, I though APC is against corruption and looting of public funds then why are they sabotaging the effort of bringing this man to book. This shows that the people accusing PDP are PhD holders in looting. APC are just group of people that come together because there birthright have been snatched from them.

donphilopus: Come next year, Nyako would still be the Governor of Adamawa State. The PDP (e)mourners are just making noise as usual.

Please hope you won't hide your face in shame in two weeks time.

Ask anyone in the streets of Yola, they will tell you that Nyako is the worst thing you can wish your enemy.

Hangard: The truth is coming out, I though APC is against corruption and looting of public funds then why are they sabotaging the effort of bringing this man to book. This shows that the people accusing PDP are PhD holders in looting. APC are just group of people that come together because there birthright have been snatched from them.

Nyako had, in the letter, accused the President of committing genocide against the North in the name of Boko Haram. But the governor was said to have refused to apologise at the meeting.

The genesis of the problem, and not the poo you wrote up there. Where u of the same opinion when pdp brought out a candidate that was earlier impeached for corruption, and still have charges hanging on his neck as their cadidate, and rigged him in as the governor elect?

donphilopus: Come next year, Nyako would still be the Governor of Adamawa State. The PDP (e)mourners are just making noise as usual.

is it e mourners that re tryn to impeach nyako? Eh!? Manazz do u know who is the worst governor in nigeria? No clear eye person in adamawa like nyako... Take not of the word CLEAR EYE

Chigold101: is it e mourners that re tryn to impeach nyako? Eh!? Manazz do u know who is the worst governor in nigeria? No clear eye person in adamawa like nyako... Take not of the word CLEAR EYE

I'm pretty sure they are not removing him for being incompetent. What i don't get is why Nigerians don't exercise their constitutional rights to get rid of all their Bad Leaders but instead will be all like ' Hmm OK next time I'll vote for the other Party' just to end up with the same scenario. But Politicians are all over the place threatening to remove Senators/Reps/Governors just because they didn't do their Parties bidding which is usually everything but what's good for Nigerians.

E.g Look at that Farooq Lawal case, He should have been recalled after that nonsense bribery scandal of his but Nooo he was left in the House to do what exactly ? Or is it somehow that its always Political Parties that decide Nigerians fate? Ughh why am i even asking when the answer is obviously Yes!

Hangard: The truth is coming out, I though APC is against corruption and looting of public funds then why are they sabotaging the effort of bringing this man to book. This shows that the people accusing PDP are PhD holders in looting. APC are just group of people that come together because there birthright have been snatched from them.

go to Facebook and see how hell rufia is defending this man.

cupid4ig: go to Facebook and see how hell rufia is defending this man.

Is just a pity that the opposition we are clamouring for is nothing to write home about. SHAME.

Nnewi1stSon: Ignore the clown! Same way he was running his mouth like tap-water during the Ekiti elections only to scurry into his hole when the results started trickling in.

APC e-maggots are giant mouth-tiny brained e- nuisance .
Laugh @ them when it matters.

koboko69:

Nyako had, in the letter, accused the President of committing genocide against the North in the name of Boko Haram. But the governor was said to have refused to apologise at the meeting.

The genesis of the problem, and not the poo you wrote up there. Where u of the same opinion when pdp brought out a candidate that was earlier impeached for corruption, and still have charges hanging on his neck as their cadidate, and rigged him in as the governor elect?

Must you always play the card the same way that PDP played it, remember you are the opposition You are trying to buy the people on your side, the people are begging for a better opposition but if you go on to the things the same way that the ruling party are doing it you lost sympathy with the masses.

Manazz: In normal countries Governors are impeached if they don't deliver to the people but apparently in this country they are Impeached if some Opposing forces wanna get rid of someone they consider a threat from power. You gotta ask yourself in all this does the peoples Vote really matter after all?

I don't think the people count here as it should be...not sure....