By Lawrence Olaoye
Fresh facts have emerged on why it became easy for the Adamawa state Assembly to successfully oust Governor Murtala Nyako.
It was learnt that though some All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts from the state including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made frantic efforts to ward off Nyako’s impeachment, some other big wigs whose voices would have made a difference refused to intervene to save him.
It was gathered that the former Head of State and a national leader of gone APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, refused to intervene because the allegation against the former governor hinged on corruption.
A source within the APC who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity because he was not mandated to speak for the party said Buhari, when contacted to use his influence to save the embattled governor said he was not willing to stain his integrity with the case of a governor whose offense bordered on corruption in office.
The party chieftain also disclosed that Nyako’s style of leadership made the top high hierarchy the APC to disown him amidst of the storm of impeachment.
Again, his extension of the tenure of the Acting judge, Ambrose Mammadi, according to the APC chieftain in the state, was the last straw that consumed his political career.
Speaking on the political logjam in the State, the APC chieftain regretted how the former governor played into the waiting hands of his political foes which eventually cost him the political office he cherishes so much.
According to him, “when the heat became unbearable, and the APC leaders in the state who did not want Nyako in the party could not handle it, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar sent an emissary to former Head of State, General Muahmmadu Buhari who refused to intervene because of the alleged treasury looting of the State.
He continued “Nyako was responsible for his impeachment. Let me tell you how it began. Nyako was not popular as governor of Adamawa while he was in PDP and this had really helped other parties like CPC, and ACN and when the merger came to be, we stood our ground that Nyako should not join us. But the APC leaders at the centre insisted that we should receive him. We reluctantly accepted him but his coming to our party is a liability rather than an asset. His coming to the party has led many to defect back to PDP because of Nyako.
“When his problems began, he was not listening to anyone and we left him to himself. He ran the government as a family estate and when the members were after him, everyone left him in the cold. But when it became obvious that he would be impeached, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar ran to one of our leaders, whom we have regard for, Engineer B.D. Lawal asking him to seek General Buhari’s intervention but General Buhari refused because of his integrity and credibility. He told B.D. Lawal that he would have intervened if Nyako’s offence had nothing to do with misappropriation and embezzlement. He told him ‘I still have my name to protect’. It was at this juncture we all gave up on Nyako”.
Speaking further, the source disclosed how Nyako rejected the advice given to him against asking for the extension of tenure to the Acting Chief Judge, Ambrose Mammadi and it was the extension that cost him his job.
“Before the impeachment began, we warned Nyako against extending his tenure and while we were happy that the Acting Judge tenure would expire before the inauguration of the panel, we did not know that Nyako had asked the National Judicial Commission to extend the tenure of the Acting Judge. If the tenure had not been extended, this would have made it difficult if not impossible for the panel to sit and to impeach him.”
The source was however optimistic that the party would win the fresh governorship poll within the 90 days as prescribed by the constitution.
Meanwhile, there are indications that a Muslim may be appointed as the deputy to the Ahmadu Funtiri as the Acting Deputy Governor for there to be religious balance in the state.
