The panel of seven set up to investigate the allegation of gross misconduct against Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and his deputy, Mr. Bala Ngilari, by the State House of Assembly concluded its public sitting in Yola yesterday with the lawmakers declaring that they have proved their case against the two men.

The panel sat for only two days and may turn in its report tomorrow. The assemblymen are said to be adamant in ousting the governor and his deputy.

The panel commenced sitting on Friday and rounded off yesterday after taking evidence from the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Finance, Mr. Wafarninyi Theman.

Neither Nyako nor Ngilari put up any appearance before the panel. They were also not represented by any lawyer.

The panel, after waiting in vain for representatives of the governor and those of the deputy governor proceeded to watch a video clip tendered as exhibit. It also cross-examined Theman.

Counsel to the assemblymen, Hussaini Maidawa and Leonard Nzadon, told the panel that the complainants had proven their case against Nyako and Ngilari. They urged the panel to take their applications against the governor and deputy governor as a proven case of the allegations raised against them and use that evidence in deciding the matter.

The panel chairman, Mallam Buba Kaigama, said he and his colleagues would take their time to go over the evidence provided by the assembly and take the appropriate decision.

Efforts by traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state to broker truce between the governor and the legislators have failed.

Special Adviser to the Adamawa State Government, Mr. P.P. Elisha, told journalists yesterday that PDP stakeholders sabotaged the peace efforts and were bent on removing the governor and his deputy at all cost.

“The whole impeachment move is being staged managed by the so-called Adamawa PDP stakeholders who are trying to draw President Goodluck Jonathan into a thing he knew nothing of,” he said.

He said the governor has “moved to Abuja in order to continue consultations with the lawmakers as he is keen to see to the resolution of the impasse.”

He added that if the lawmakers removed the governor unconstitutionally, Nyako would go to court to challenge the process.

•Pieced together from reports in The Nation and Sunday Sun. Photo shows embattled Governor Nyako.

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