12th August, 2014
The Independent National Electoral Commission yesterday said the bye-election to elect a substantive governor for Adamawa State will hold on 11 October.
Kayode Idowu, spokesperson to Professor Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of INEC confirmed this to journalists on Tuesday.
The bye-election will be held to replace former governor Murtala Nyako who was impeached by the Adamawa State House of Assembly on 15 July. Nyako’s deputy James Ngilari had also resigned on the same day.
Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, was subsequently sworn in as the acting governor following the removal of Nyako and resignation of the Deputy Governor who could have succeeded him.
The bye election is being held in adherence to constitutional stipulation that the electoral body must conduct a bye-election to elect a substantive governor if the office is being occupied by an acting governor within 90 days of the vacancy in the office. The 90 days would elapse on 15 October.
The announcement of the date for the election is coming in spite of the suit the former deputy governor filed at Federal High Court Abuja in which he denied that he resigned from office.
Ngilari is asking the court to order that he be sworn in as the governor following Nyako’s removal.
The suit which is before Justice Adeniyi Ademola was adjourned on Tuesday adjourned to 10 September for mention.