Update: Federal Court Sacks Adamawa Acting Governor Fintiri, Orders Nyako's Deputy Sworn-in As Governor, Cancels By-election

SAN FRANCISCO, October 08, (THEWILL) - A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Acting Governor of the Adamawa State, Mr. Ahmadu Umar Fintiri from office and ordered that former Governor Murtala Nyako's deputy, Bala Ngilari be sworn in as Governor effective immediately.

The court also cancelled the planned by-election scheduled for October 11.

Ngilari had approached Justice Ademola Adeniyi through his lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, to declare his letter of resignation addressed to the Speaker of the House of Assembly illegal, null and void arguing that it breached the provisions of section 306(1), (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution.

He also submitted that the letter, which was written and transmitted to the House of Assembly on July 14, 2014, ought to have been addressed and forwarded to the Governor who was still in office and hadn't been impeached.

Nyako had himself submitted to the court that he did not accept Ngilari's resignation.

Mr. Ngilari therefore urged the court to declare him substantive Governor of Adamawa State.

In his ruling, Justice Ademola agreed with Ngilari's submission and declared his purported resignation illegal. He thereafter directed the Chief Judge of the state to swear him in as substantive Governor of the state and directed the National Election Election (INEC) to shelve the by-election slated for October 11, 2014.