• It isn’t true- Fintiri
Indications emerged weekend that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will begin to investigate embattled former acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, alongside 24 members of the state House of Assembly over alleged misappropriation of over N18 billion state funds.
A highly placed source at the commission told Nigerian Pilot Sunday that the operatives of the commission will soon quiz the sacked former acting governor and the 24 state assembly members on how the whopping sum of N18 billion was allegedly shared between the lawmakers within two months.
According to the source, the Financial Intelligent Unit of the commission is currently studying the bank transactions and disbursement carried out during the embattled Fintiri’s stay in office.The top official of the commission further added that N45 million was allegedly given to each of the lawmakers as constituency allowance without due process.
But reacting to the allegation, the former acting governor denied it.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Solomon Kumangar, Fintiri denied the allegations, claiming it was baseless, mischievous and unfounded.
Kumangar argued that since Adamawa was indebted to the tune of about N83 billion, Fintiri could not get the 18billion to spend in less than three months.
“The EFCC is a well-organised agency; we challenge the petitioners to come out with all the necessary and relevant documents to prove that the innocent man (Fintiri) actually looted N18 billion.
“We know very well that there are some politicians in the state that are planting the story against Fintiri to intimidate him not to proceed to appeal the judgment of the federal High Court that led to his removal in office by using the EFCC.”
Trouble started Wednesday last week when a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Alhaji Umaru Fintiri from office.
Similarly, the bye-election to fill the post of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, who was recently impeached by Fintiri’s led House of Assembly, was truncated as the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to conduct the election.
The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola consequently ordered the Adamawa State Ag Chief Judge to immediately swear-in Mr. James Bala Ngilari as the substantive governor.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ademola Adeniyi held that the swearing-in of Fintiri as Ag Governor was “illegal and unconstitutional.”
He said, “Ngilari did not resign on July 15, 2014 as provided in section 306 (1) (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The said letter of resignation fails to satisfy the requirement of section 306 subsection (1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The court held that it was not the duty of the Adamawa State House of Assembly to receive and act on a letter of resignation from the Deputy Governor.
Justice Ademola added that the court took judicial notice of the fact that Nyako in his affidavit of fact deposed to by Ahmad Sajo, his Chief Press Secretary, stated categorically that the deputy governor did not tender any resignation letter to him, adding that Ngilari too, denied serving Nyako a letter of resignation.
The ex-Deputy Governor had in the suit filed by Festus Keyamo, prayed for an order of court compelling his swearing-in as Adamawa Ag Governor by the Chief Judge, following Nyako’s impeachment.
Ngilari had sued the Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri, the House, Nyako and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN ordered that the Chief Judge of Adamawa State should swear in Barrister Bala James Ngilari as the governor of the state.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
Indications emerged weekend that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will begin to investigate embattled former acting Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, alongside 24 members of the state House of Assembly over alleged misappropriation of over N18 billion state funds.
A highly placed source at the commission told Nigerian Pilot Sunday that the operatives of the commission will soon quiz the sacked former acting governor and the 24 state assembly members on how the whopping sum of N18 billion was allegedly shared between the lawmakers within two months.
According to the source, the Financial Intelligent Unit of the commission is currently studying the bank transactions and disbursement carried out during the embattled Fintiri’s stay in office.The top official of the commission further added that N45 million was allegedly given to each of the lawmakers as constituency allowance without due process.
But reacting to the allegation, the former acting governor denied it.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Solomon Kumangar, Fintiri denied the allegations, claiming it was baseless, mischievous and unfounded.
Kumangar argued that since Adamawa was indebted to the tune of about N83 billion, Fintiri could not get the 18billion to spend in less than three months.
“The EFCC is a well-organised agency; we challenge the petitioners to come out with all the necessary and relevant documents to prove that the innocent man (Fintiri) actually looted N18 billion.
“We know very well that there are some politicians in the state that are planting the story against Fintiri to intimidate him not to proceed to appeal the judgment of the federal High Court that led to his removal in office by using the EFCC.”
Trouble started Wednesday last week when a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Alhaji Umaru Fintiri from office.
Similarly, the bye-election to fill the post of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, who was recently impeached by Fintiri’s led House of Assembly, was truncated as the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to conduct the election.
The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola consequently ordered the Adamawa State Ag Chief Judge to immediately swear-in Mr. James Bala Ngilari as the substantive governor.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ademola Adeniyi held that the swearing-in of Fintiri as Ag Governor was “illegal and unconstitutional.”
He said, “Ngilari did not resign on July 15, 2014 as provided in section 306 (1) (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The said letter of resignation fails to satisfy the requirement of section 306 subsection (1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The court held that it was not the duty of the Adamawa State House of Assembly to receive and act on a letter of resignation from the Deputy Governor.
Justice Ademola added that the court took judicial notice of the fact that Nyako in his affidavit of fact deposed to by Ahmad Sajo, his Chief Press Secretary, stated categorically that the deputy governor did not tender any resignation letter to him, adding that Ngilari too, denied serving Nyako a letter of resignation.
The ex-Deputy Governor had in the suit filed by Festus Keyamo, prayed for an order of court compelling his swearing-in as Adamawa Ag Governor by the Chief Judge, following Nyako’s impeachment.
Ngilari had sued the Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri, the House, Nyako and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN ordered that the Chief Judge of Adamawa State should swear in Barrister Bala James Ngilari as the governor of the state.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
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