Murtala Nyako: gets justice at last

The Yola Division of Federal Court of Appeal on Thursday declared the impeachment 18 months ago, of former Governor  Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Nigeria’s north east,  as unconstitutional, null and void.

The Adamawa House of Assembly had on July 16, 2014,  removed Nyako for gross misconduct.

In a unanimous judgment by the five justices of the Court of Appeal, the court said the impeachment was not done in accordance with the provisions of the law as the governor was not served the impeachment notice personally.

In the lead judgment read by Justice Tunde Ayotoye, the judges agreed that Nyako was not given fair hearing.

The court ordered that Nyako be accorded all rights of the Office of the Governor of Adamawa through the period and paid all his entitlements as governor while it lasted.

The court, however, struck out the appeal by Nyako to be returned as governor of the state as his tenure as governor had elapsed.