Bala-James-Ngillari
Following the order of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which nullified the swearing in of Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri as Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Bala Ngilari, has been sworn in as the substantive Governor of the State.
This followed the directive of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Bello Adoke, that the court ruling be complied with.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had stated among others in his ruling earlier in the day “AN ORDER of this Honourable Court directing the Chief Judge of Adamawa State (or Acting Chief Judge, as the case may be) or the President of the Customary Court of Appeal to swear in Barr. Bala James Nggilari (the Plaintiff) IMMEDIATELY as the substantive Governor of Adamawa State.”
Mr. Ngilari had approached the Court to challenge his removal from office as Deputy Governor, insisting he did not resign.
Ngilari, was Deputy to the impeached Governor Murtala Nyako of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sequel to the ruling of the Court, the Federal Government had immediately reacted by directing the immediate swearing in of Mr Bala Ngilari as the substantive Governor of Adamawa State.
A statement issued by the AGF, Mr. Adoke reads in full:
1. 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 8th October 2014 in respect of the above matter.
2. 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.
3. 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, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, CFR hereby calls on the Chief Judge of Adamawa State to immediately swear in Barrister James Bala Ngilari as the Governor of Adamawa State.
4. The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) 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, 11th October 2014
Prior to his swearing in as Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri, was the Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly.
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