By Agency Report
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) says it has invited former governor Abdullahi Ganduje to appear before it over alleged dollar bribe videos.
Mr Ganduje, while he was governor, was caught in a video receiving dollars from a contractor and keeping it in his cloth.
The chairman of the commission, Muhuyi Rimingado, confirmed the summon to journalists in Kano on Thursday.
Mr Rimingado said that the commission was expecting Mr Ganduje to appear before it next week to have the opportunity to clear his name in the ongoing investigation.
“I have signed a letter to invite him for questioning at the commission next week because this is what the law says and we will provide ample opportunity for him to defend himself.
“There is what the law provides; the law is coercive in nature, it compels obedience. The law doesn’t lobby you to come and do certain things.
“There are procedures and we will follow all the necessary steps to do what is needful,” he assured.
The PCACC chairman also reacted to an allegation by the Coalition for Northern Civil Society Groups that the commission started the investigation so as to ridicule the former governor and stop him from getting a federal appointment.
He simply said that the “fact speaks for itself”.
Mr Rimingado said that since the video came out in 2018, the commission had indicated its intention to investigate, but since the governor then enjoyed immunity, there was a limit to what the law allowed the commission to do in that regard.
“This is why on my return as the chairman few weeks ago and the fact that the former governor no longer enjoys immunity, we decided to reopen the investigation
and give the former governor the opportunity to clear himself or otherwise.
”Moreso, as the videos have continued to cause the state and citizens of the state ridicule across the globe,” Rimingado said.
He called on all citizens of the state that had useful information that would further help the investigation to come forward, promising that such information will be treated confidentially.
Mr Rimingado also appealed to residents of the state and civil society organisations to support the commission to root out corruption in the state.
He urged them to do so by providing necessary information on any case of corrupt practices, promising that the commission would ensure justice, regardless of whoever was involved.
Also, the Kano State Government has filed a notice of withdrawal of a suit before the Federal High Court in Kano against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to restrain it from investigating Mr Ganduje over the bribery video.
The state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Haruna Dederi, initiated the latest action.
The application informed the court of the government’s intention not to stop EFCC from further inviting, investigating or interrogating the former Executive Chairman and Director of Finance of SUBEB as well as the Accountant General of Kano State in connection with the bribery video.
In a notice of discontinuance instituted by the Solicitor General, Kano State Ministry of Justice, Amina Yargaya, the application was brought pursuant to Order 50 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2019, as amended.
It would be recalled that the ministry under the immediate past Attorney General had issued a fiat to Sanusi Musa, from Aliyu & Musa Legal Practitioner, a law firm, to institute the case.
But in a twist of events, the ministry under the present Attorney General debriefed the learned silk from continuing handling the case.
A letter signed by Mr Dederi, dated 4 July, and addressed to Sanusi Musa, stated thus:
“We write to notify you that Kano State Government and the Attorney General of Kano State wish to debrief you of the earlier instructions, given to you to handle the case NO: FHC/KN/71/2023 BETWEEN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF KANO STATE AND ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC).
“You and your team members are therefore instructed not to take any further steps on the matter, either by appearing in court or filing any processes in respect of the case.”
It would also be recalled that the Federal High Court had restrained the defendant (EFCC) from taking any further step in respect of the invitation, interrogation and investigation of the aforementioned accused persons in connection with the video clips of bribery allegations against Mr Ganduje.
No date has been fixed for hearing the notice of withdrawal of the application.
(NAN)
