The Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, may be impeached today as the seven man-panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct against him and his deputy, Bala Ngillari, yesterday submitted its report to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

The report, which is contained in four volumes, was received by the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, who promised that the house would consider the report at the appropriate time during plenary.

Though the content of the report was not made public, it is unlikely that Nyako may escape being nailed by the Buba Kaigama- led panel.

There are strong indications that the Assembly is to reconvene today to adopt the panel’s report and if that happens, the governor and the deputy may cease to hold office.

However, going by the handwriting on the wall, Ngillari may be absolved of the charges against him for want of evidence, unlike the allegations against his boss, which the house has been able to sufficiently prove with detailed particulars.

Section 188(8) and (9) of the constitution states: “Where the panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter.

“Where the report of the panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within 14 days of the receipt of the report, the House of Assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of the House of Assembly, supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.”

The panel, while presenting its report at the state Assembly Complex, regretted that the governor and his deputy refused to utilise the opportunity offered to them to clear their names of the charges.

Kaigama, who declined to disclose the content of the report, however, said the panel tried to ensure justice in the discharge of the provisions of section 188(5) under which it derives it functions.

He explained that although the panel lacked the powers to make both men appear before the panel, it had to delay the commencement of its sitting in the hope that they would show up since they were notified of its sitting.

According to him, the adjournment of its sitting was to allow for representation of the respondents.

Against background of alleged haste by the panel to submit its report shortly after the conclusion of its sitting, Kaigama exonerated the panel of complicity.

“We have discharged our responsibilities to the best of our abilities and it is left for God to judge us rightly or wrongly,” Kaigama said. He said the members appreciated the rare privilege giving to them to serve on the panel.

“We saw it as opportunity for us to contribute to the entrenchment of democracy and we did try to do justice. Our grand children and great grand children will come and see what we have done.”

Meanwhile, Nyako has been involved in a last minute effort to scuttle his impeachment. CEOAFRICA  Sources said the governor met with the Speaker and some members of the state legislature who still had a soft spot for him recently to strategise on ways to stave off his impeachment.

They claimed that in the final analysis, it was President Goodluck Jonathan who could save Nyako. But there are many within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who are sympathetic to Ngillari.

They see his involvement in the whole impeachment saga as collateral damage. Some believe that Nyako’s impeachment is a Presidency- backed machination to punish him for defecting from the PDP to the opposition All Progressives Congress along with four other “rebel governors”.