The impeachment of Murtala Nyako as Governor of Adamawa State was on Thursday reversed by a Court of Appeal sitting in Yola, the state capital.
A penal of five judges presided by Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey unanimously condemned the gross abuse of legislative powers by the Adamawa State House of Assembly in achieving what the panel termed selfish agenda.
All five Judges in their various submission unanimously agreed that Nyako’s impeachment was a misuse of the powers and privileges of the legislatures, describing it “null, void and of no effect.”
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Tunde Ayotoye, on behalf of the other judges agreed that due process was not followed in the impeachment process of Nyako, adding that the governor’s right was violated.
Justice Ayotoye while reading his judgement said the State House of Assembly took the laws into their hands as they flagrantly abused the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to meet their whimsical and selfish desires.
Also Justice Hannatu Sankey in her submission stated that the court as the last resort to Justice will not fold its arms and watch impunity being entrenched in the country.
Sankey said the failure of the lawmakers to ignore the constitutional provision of personal service of impeachment notice on the former governor was a misnomer to the constitution which must be uprooted.
The court held that Nyako be accorded all right of the office of the governor of Adamawa State through the period he was in the office, and be paid all his entitlement as governor of the state while it lasted.
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