Court declares Nyako’s unimpeachable, orders state to pay his entitlements in, out of office

Former Gov. Murtala Nyako would have been returned to Adamawa’s government house Thursday when an Appeal Court in Yola reversed and nullified his impeachment about two years ago.

But the court said his tenure has expired.

In the lead judgment Justice Tunde Ayotoye delivered, the court ruled Nyako was not given fair hearing in the impeachment proceedings, and that the governor’s right was violated.

The court then ordered he be given all rights of the office of the governor of Adamawa through the period of office, and be paid all his entitlements as governor of the state.

It also criticised the Adamawa’ House of Assembly “impunity and arrogance” in setting up a Kangaroo panel to investigate the former governor despite a court order against such move.

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On July 15, 2014, 17 of 25 members of the Adamawa State House of Assembly adopted a skewed report of a panel set up to investigate him for alleged corruption. The panel found him guilty of all the 16 allegations, and the House impeached him.

Although he went to court to challenge the impeachment, Nyako, one of the Npdp governors who joined the APC opposition in 2013, had become a fugitive wanted by the EFCC immediately after his removal.

The commission hounded him into exile where he was until his party won the presidential election.

While he got justice on the impeachment case, a N25 billion misappropriation albatross is still hanging around his neck in court.