…FG Directs CJ, INEC To Obey Court’s Judgment
BEVERLY HILLS, October 08, (THEWILL) – The Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Bala Ngilari has been sworn-in as Governor of the state by the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, following the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola had in a Wednesday ruling removed Ahmadu Umar Fintiri as Acting Governor saying Ngilari did not resign from office as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution even though he had indeed tendered a letter of resignation to the Speaker of the House of Assembly. The court ruled that the letter ought to have been tendered to Governor Murtala Nyako, who was later impeached by the Assembly.
Fintiri was Speaker of the House before he was sworn-in as Acting Governor. He had won a mini primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stand as its candidate in the October 11, 2014, Governorship by-election.
The Federal Government had earlier directed the Chief Judge of Adamawa State to obey without delay the ruling of Justice Ademola.
The directive was made by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke.
“The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Hon. Justice Adeniyi Ademola on October 8 in respect of the above matter.”
“The Federal High Court by its judgment under reference nullified the swearing in of Ahmadu Umar Fintiri as the Acting Governor of Adamawa State and declared the resignation of James Bala Ngilari as unconstitutional, null and void.”
“In obedience to the judgment of the court and the need to avert a vacuum in governance and possible constitutional crises, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, hereby calls on the Chief Judge of Adamawa State to immediately swear in Barr. James Ngilari as Governor of Adamawa State.”
“The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission is also called upon in obedience to the judgment of the Federal High Court to keep in abeyance all the arrangements made for the conduct of the bye-elections scheduled to take place in Adamawa State on Saturday, October 11, 2014,” the statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Mr. Adedeji Ajibade, said.”
