Again, Court Sacks Adamawa Governor, Murtala Nyako!

For the second time in thirteen months, Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako has been sacked by a court of law. The Appeal Court sitting in Yola, the state’s capital ha
s ruled that the shadow elections of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through which Nyako emerged as the party’s flag bearer in 2012 was characterised by breach of the constitution, the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, and the provisions of the PDP Constitution.
The court therefore ruled that Governor Murtala Nyako was not duly nominated as stipulated by the provisions of the Electoral Act, the PDP Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the ruling, Justice Ignatius Igwe, who read the lead judgment stated that the primary election that produced Admiral Nyako (rtd) was an invalid exercise which lacks legal ingredients. The judge accused the PDP, which was joined as a defendant in the suit, of criminal discrimination against Dr. Umar Ardo. .
Though the primaries were declared invalid by the court, the judge noted that the court was constrained by Section 31 sub-Section (1) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, to order for a fresh primary election. Justice Igwe pointed out that the evidence before the court proved that the fundamental human rights of Dr. Umar Ardo, who showed interest to participate in the primary election, were trampled upon by denying his supporters nomination forms to participate as delegates.