The political crisis in Adamawa State may not be over. It was has learnt that some lawmakers in the state House of Assembly have plans to sack the new governor, Mr. Bala Ngilari.
Ngilari was sworn in during the week after a Federal High Court ordered the sack of the Acting Governor, Mr. Ahmadu Fintiri. Fintiri, who is the Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, took over after the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako in July.
Our correspondents gathered that lawmakers loyal to Fintiri might have concluded plans to start a fresh fight with Ngilari. Some of the pro-Fintiri lawmakers revealed on Friday, that they were looking out for “possible loopholes” that could constitute grounds for Ngilari’s impeachment.
One of the lawmakers who insisted on anonymity said, “There is still tension. Our relationship with the governor (Ngilari) will be strictly official and members will not take any issue lying low.”
The lawmaker claimed the ousted acting governor did well while he ruled the state.
He said, “Members (lawmakers) believe Fintiri proved within three months that he could bring development to the state. He awarded several projects that are yielding results at far less cost than what the previous administration quoted.”
Another House member, who did not want his name published, informed newsmen that the lawmakers were holding a series of meetings on the next step to take.
“We will do our work, while the governor will be doing his own,” the lawmaker threatened.
It was also gathered that some pro-Fintiri lawmakers planned to sponsor a motion to commend him for his “tremendous achievements in office as acting governor.”
Our correspondents say the motion could be opposed by lawmakers loyal to the new governor and this could set off a fresh crisis.
When contacted, one of Fintiri’s closest associates in the House, Mr. Kwamoti La’Ore, did not say whether a plan was afoot to find grounds for impeaching the governor. However, he was quick to add that the House would “perform its constitutional duties if there was any breach or offence” by the governor.
“We will abide by the court decision, though we are on appeal. He is the governor (Ngilari) and we will not go after him unless there is an offence or a breach,” La’Ore said.
Another member of the House, Mr. Adamu Kamale, who did not also confirm the impeachment plot, said the House would not move against Ngilari if “things do not go wrong.”
“Our concern, and of course the concern of the people we represent, is that governance should be done the proper way. Things should not go wrong. If things do not go wrong, we will give the governor our full support,” Kamale said.
Kamale warned that any attempt to remove Fintiri as Speaker would be resisted by lawmakers. In the aftermath of Fintiri’s removal as acting governor, there has been speculation in the state that the Speaker would be removed from office because he hails from the same local government area (Madagali) as the governor.
But Kamale said, “Some people are trying to create a problem where there is none. They are citing Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution. That section is talking about appointments and does not apply to elective positions.
“The Speaker is elected by members of the House and it is the members who decide who the occupier of the position is. It is not about geographical location.”
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has commenced moves to nip in the bud the crisis between the lawamkers and Nigilari.
The state PDP Chairman, Mr. Joel Madaki, revealed that the party was in touch with both Fintiri and Ngilari, adding that any differences between the two would be resolved like a “family affair.”
Madaki said, “We won’t allow them to fight. Why is that necessary in a family? We are all going to work together, and smoothly, till the next elections.
“What has happened is already in the past and the party is one big family.”
On his part, the former governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako, has said he is prepared to support the governor who once served as his deputy.
Nyako spoke through his Director of Press and Public Relations, Ahmad Sajoh, in a telephone interview on Friday. Sajoh was a key witness for the prosecution during the court proceedings which led to Ngilari’s legal victory.
He said, “We will continue to support him as long as he rules with the fear of God, justice and fairness.”
“Nyako is not desperate to return to Government House, but he will pursue his case in court to let the world know that the process leading to his removal was wrong. If this leads to his return to office, fine. He is more interested in clearing his name.”
Sajoh also dismissed insinuations of a rift between Nyako and Ngilari.
He said, “Our detractors are peddling such rumours. There is nothing like that, neither is there anything like we do not support his being sworn in. How can we not? Ngilari’s swearing-in only draws Nyako closer to returning to office. Nyako was a star witness in Ngilari’s case. I went to court five times.”
In the meantime, recent developments in the state might have put paid to the governorship ambition of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, on the platform of the PDP.
The development has also put an earlier agreement to zone the 2015 governorship ticket to the Adamawa Central zone in jeopardy.
Ribadu and seven other governorship aspirants had agreed to put their ambitions on hold by opting out of the primaries which produced Fintiri, as the party’s candidate for the botched October 11 governorship polls.
The aspirants’ decision to suspend their ambitions was part of a deal allegedly brokered at a meeting held at the Presidential Villa.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, however, told one of our correspondents that the party would look at the agreement and see if it could survive recent events.
He said, “The zoning was done in the interest of the party. We would look at the agreement and see if it has been broken by what happened.”
Meanwhile, more facts have emerged on how Fintiri, fell out with the presidency and the national leadership of the PDP.
A source in the Presidency and a member of the National Working Committee of the party, who spoke to our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said Fintiri’s utterances after assuming office gave him away as someone that could not be trusted to abide by the deal reached by the aspirants.
The NWC member said, “You remember Fintiri said on September 10 at the national secretariat here in Abuja, that his major plan was how to win the October 11, 2014 governorship by-election in which he was the candidate of the party.
“He also said only God would determine his fate in 2015. He said we should allow him to win the election first before he would decide on the next line of action. With such utterances, it was clear we were not going to be able to get him (to abide) if he wins.”
In a related development, two senators who spoke to one of our correspondents have praised the new governor for relieving Fintiri’s appointees of their appointments.
Senator Kabiru Marafa said the sack of the political appointees by the new Governor of Adamawa State, was “good riddance to bad rubbish.”
“He should learn a great lesson from Fintiri who will now go back to the House of Assembly as a floor member,” he said.
Senator Babafemi Ojudu also said Fintiri erred and since his action was declared illegal, hence all political appointments made by him had automatically become illegal. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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