As the Adamawa State House of Assembly commences impeachment proceedings against Governor Murtala Nyako and his deputy James Bala Ngilari over allegations of gross misconduct, Information Nigeria chronicles the 20 sins of the embattled governor.
The Assembly, at a plenary session yesterday, approved a list of 20 acts that constitute gross misconduct allegedly committed by Nyako, which led the Speaker, Ahmadu Fintiri, to order the Clerk to serve him impeachment notice.
The allegations range from fraudulent diversion of public funds, extra-budgetary expenditure, appointment of family members and friends in to public offices and siphoning of public funds, among others.
While the Assembly members might have genuine grounds to serve the governor and his deputy impeachment notice, the timing and rumors of external forces fuelling the removal of Messrs Nyako and Ngilari, make the motive circumspect especially now that the state is under emergency rule and confronting the menace of insurgency.
Gov. Nyako, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to All Progressives Congress, has been having a running battle with the state lawmakers, most of whom, did not join him to defect to the opposition party.
His case is even made worse considering what has been described as a toxic letter, he wrote to his colleagues in the northern states, accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of genocide in the war against Boko Haram in the region. That letter reportedly earned him a strong rebuke from the presidency, which has not forgiven him for denigrating the office of the president.
We present Gov. Nyako’s alleged sins as compiled by the Adamawa State House of Assembly:
1. Fraudulent diversion of N2.3 billion Adamawa State workers’ salary for September and October, 2011.
2. Illegal deductions and diversions of the sum of N142 million emoluments of Adamawa State workers in May 2014.
3. Diversion of N120 million to sponsor fictitious visit of General Muhammadu Buhari to Adamawa State to commiserate with victims of insurgency in Madagili and Michika Local Government Areas.
4. Extra-budgetary expenditure of N1,740,785,246 fictitious special assistants and another N166,230,536.88 on Personal Assistants in 2013.
5. Fraudulent award of contract of over N8 billion through SNECOU Group of Companies Ltd, a company linked to one of the governor’s wife, to siphon public funds without delivering any services to the people of Adamawa State.
6. Corrupt siphoning of the sum of N300 million public funds through a company, Hydrosource Resources Ltd in the name of construction of Mubi by-pass witouth mobilizing to site or any construction one carried out long after collecting N300 million from Adamawa State funds. 7. Gross violation of the Oath of Office by outrageous patronage and dominance of family and friends in the discharge of government business such as found in the MDGs Office, the SPPU and Ministry of Health.
8. Gross violation of Section 120 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and gross misappropriation of Internally Generated Revenue for personal use to the detriment of the people of Adamawa State.
9. Squandering the sum of N4,805,216,538.32 and N7,114,995,590.85 in 2012 and 2013 respectively through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government against budgetary approvals, and not in the interest of the people of Adamawa State.
10. Expenditures of exorbitant N2.5 billion “Other Miscellaneous Expenses” through the Internal Affairs and Special Services Department.
11. Extra-budgetary procurement of fertilizer and diversion of proceeds from the sales of fertilizer from 2007 to date.
12. The MDGs Office in Adamawa State is managed by the Governor Nyako’s close relations and has squandered N220 million and N786,457,644.94 million unbudgeted state funds in 2013 for the implementation of MDGs program in the state.
13. Diversion of over N400 million out of the N500 million Federal Government Intervention Fund for flood victims in Adamawa State 2011.
14. Diversion of government funds through the illegal importation of Hospital Equipment to the tune of N156 million while the state still owes the contractor; and illegal acquisition of Containarized Mobile Workshop for Vocational Training Centres.
15. Corruption and extra-budgetary awards of contracts for the construction of Army Barracks – Mayobelwa Road, Pella – Maiha Road, Gombi – Ga’anda – Fotta Road, Rumde – Yolde Pate Road, construction of Mubi by-pass, contrary to Section 120 (2) (3) and (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
16. Squandering of N1 billion Adamawa State Scholarship Trust Fund.
17. Shoddy conception and operation of Adamawa German Hospital, managed by a close relation to Governor Nyako.
18. Reckless expenditures of public funds contrary to Section 121 subsection 4 (a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
19. Abuse of office and violation of Adamawa State Law by appointing his wife, Dr Halima H. Nyako, as the chairman Adamawa State Action Committee on Aids (SACA) contrary to the SACA Law. His government is popularly nicknamed “Government of Family and Friends”.
20. Overbearing strangulation of the Local Government Areas and extortion of the Local Government Funds in the name of joint projects and security in Mubi and other parts of Adamawa State. This leaves many Local Government Areas with nothing to pay workers’ entitlements. The governor is also known to consistently contravene Section 168 (6) and (8) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
That is the problem with nigerians:they always accept thiefs to be their governors!,infact am very sory for nig,emergin a renowned godless criminal like nyiako to be a goveror godforebid! adamawa people sory…Ooo
I wish Akwa Ibom State rubber stamp house of assembly members read through these n stop piling up causes to for their unborn children,what you experience in Adamawa is a tip of iceberg compared to the money spending madness in Akwa Ibom,where bilions come in monthly,but the masses are leaving in abject poverty…