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Tag: Ganduje

  • Buhari breaks silence on Ganduje bribe-videos, says action will be taken

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday broke silence on the bribe-taking videos of Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, saying action would be taken on the matter.

    The president’s response on the Ganduje videos followed a remark by a Kano student in France, who lauded the achievements of the governor, especially on scholarship, and advised federal government to emulate the governor.

    But the president snapped, asking the student if he had watched the governor’s videos receiving bribe in dollars.

    “That aside, haven’t you watched the videos of the governor stuffing dollars under his gown?” one of the participants quoted the president as asking rhetorically while demonstrating how the governor was stuffing the bundles of dollars under his babbarriga.

    “We gave the videos to security agencies for vetting. And we will surely take action on the matter if he is found guilty.”

    Paris town hall meeting, held at Shangrilla Hotel, was attended by Nigerian Students studying in various institutions in France, Nigerian community in France, APC members in France, among others.

    The president was accompanied by Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, Ambassador of Nigeria to France Modupe Irele, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno.

  • Bribery video: Kano Assembly ‘not equipped’ to probe Ganduje – Sagay

    The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), says the Kano State House of Assembly is not equipped to investigate Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who was allegedly caught on camera collecting bribes from contractors.

    A video had gone viral on the Internet purportedly showing Ganduje collecting dollars as kickbacks from contractors, a development which prompted an investigation by the state assembly which invited the governor to testify.

    However, a Kano State High Court ruled on Monday that the Assembly should stop the probe immediately.

    Speaking with our correspondent during an interview on Tuesday, Sagay said that an investigation of such a video would require forensic analysis which the legislative arm of government was not competent to carry out.

    He said, “The fact that somebody on social media which is full of lies and hate attacks against people says so does not prove that such has happened.

    “Personally I would like to see the contractor come out and say ‘yes I am the one and I gave him so and so amount’. I would like to see that but that has not yet happened. In any case, when it comes to the investigation of the governor, I think we have institutions that have been established for that. We have the EFCC particularly for that.

    “I don’t really understand what role the House of Assembly wanted to place on itself. It is not equipped to do investigations of the sort because it could be forensic. So, in other words, there is still a cloud over the whole thing and I am not ready to jump to any conclusion until I am confident that some wrong has been done.”

    When asked if the legislative arm of government could not investigate the governor as part of its oversight functions, Sagay said the job of the Assembly was to carry out oversight functions and not to investigate state executives.

    The senior advocate said, “Oversight functions don’t include that sort of thing. Oversight functions only involve monies that have been approved in their budget and then oversight is done on how such monies that were approved which have gone through the budget system are being expended.

    “That is where their oversight functions are limited to. This allegation is about somebody from outside giving the governor some money. It is not part of the House of Assembly’s responsibilities.”

    When asked if the failure to probe Ganduje would not portray the anti-graft war of the current government as selective in the light of the fact that Ayodele Fayose was probed despite having immunity, Sagay said both scenarios were different.

    The PACAC chairman said, “When there are clear cases it is easy to act. In the case of Fayose, Musiliu Obanikoro confessed that he ferried billions of naira to him through a private jet and everything was well recorded. Everything was very clear. The man who brought the money was very clear.

    “The money was paid into bank accounts that were established. So, it is not the same thing. This one seems to me to be very vague and cloudy and I have yet to be satisfied that it is not a political conspiracy of some sort by the enemies of the governor. So, we need to see something more concrete.”

  • Alleged Bribery: Court stops kano Assembly from investigating Ganduje

    A Kano High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the Kano state House of Assembly to stop the investigation of bribery allegation leveled against Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje by the publisher of an online news platform, Daily Nigeria, alleging that he collected $5 million bribe from contractors in video clips released by the online news platform.

    In Suit No. K/497/2018 instituted by Bar. Muhammad Zubair, National Coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria against the Kano state House of Assembly, Hon. Baffa Babba Dab Agundi and other members of the seven-man Investigative Committee and Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Kano state, the presiding Judge, Justice A.T. Badamasi issued an Interim Injunction, restraining the Kano state House of Assembly Seven-man Investigative Committee from further investigation of the said bribery allegation.

    According to the Judge, “upon carefully run through the Ex-parte application dated 5th day of November, 2018 filed by Counsel for the plaintiff/applicant accompanied by a 23 paragraphs affidavit duly deposed to by Muhammad Zubair, a legal practitioner as well as the written address in support of Application thereto:

    “And after hearing Mr. Nuraini Jimoh Esq. (with him A.N.Ahmad Esq) Counsel for the applicant. The application is hereby granted in the following manner:

    “The Respondents should be served before the close of work today (5 November). Accelerated hearing is hereby ordered and the respondents are given four days to respond to this application after service.

    “Parties should maintain status quo ante pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”

    The Judge, however, adjourned the matter to Monday, 12 November, 2018 for hearing.

    Speaking to Reporters at the NUJ Press Centre, the plaintiff who is also the National Coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, Bar. Zubair said that, “we followed with keen interest the investigation being carried out by a seven-man Committee of the Kano state House of Assembly.

    “We followed the issue and analyzed the provision of the law; we came to the conclusion that the House of Assembly have no right or constitutional backing to investigate the said bribery allegation. We believe it is an illegal action.

    “As a pro-democracy group, we served the Kano state House of Assembly a letter on the 24th of October and gave them 24 hours ultimatum to stop the investigation, but the House leadership did not reply our letter. They did not invite us to hear from us. The House has a legal department which ought to have looked at our letter, rather they ignored us.

    “Having followed what has happened, we felt that the Kano state House of Assembly did not heed to our advice. So, we decided to go to Court where we believe we can get justice. Already, we have served the three parties involved in the case; and the Court has ordered them to maintain the status quo ante pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice.”

  • Instruct AGF to investigate allegations of bribery against Gov Ganduje – SERAP tells Buhari

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to use his “good offices and leadership position to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and/or appropriate anti-corruption agencies to without delay investigate allegations of bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, as contained in the widely circulated video clips allegedly showing Mr Ganduje receiving bribe.”

    The organization said: “if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, Mr Ganduje should face prosecution at the expiration of his tenure as governor.” The organization also urged the government “to instruct the Attorney General and/or appropriate anti-corruption agencies to ensure the protection and guarantee the safety and security of journalist Jaafar Jaafar, who reportedly published the video clips.”

    In the open letter dated 2 November 2018 and signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Ms Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said, “Given the history of corruption in Nigeria, especially unresolved allegations of grand corruption against many state governors, your government cannot and should not look the other way regarding the allegations against Mr Ganduje. Any allegations of bribery and abuse of power in any state of Nigeria is of concern to every Nigerian, and should therefore, be of concern to your government.”

    The organization also said, “The obligations of your government to combat corruption in Nigeria extend to all the three tiers of government, namely, the federal government, state government and local government. Although primarily a matter of concern for Kano State, the allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje have assumed such a proportion as to become a matter of concern to the federation as a whole, and therefore, to your government.”

    The organization asked the government to “take the recommended steps within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute legal proceedings to compel your government to act in the public interest.”

    According to the organization, “Taking the recommended steps would help to enhance your government’s fight against corruption and contribute hugely to promoting the public interest, the interest of justice as well as prevent any abuse of the legal process. Any failure and/or refusal to act would undermine the goal of your government’s anti-corruption fight and tacitly serve to encourage persistent allegations of corruption among many state governors to continue with almost absolute impunity.”

    The letter read in part: “Vigorously seeking to enforce anticorruption legislation and the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party against alleged corrupt state governors, will show that your government is with concerned with the overall well-being of the federation and willing and able to enforce important constitutional principles.”

    “The Attorney-General of the Federation has power, conferred on him by section 174(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and anticorruption agencies have the powers to act on the allegations of bribery against Mr Ganduje for the sake of ensuring transparency and accountability, and promoting the common good, peace, order and good government of the federation (which includes Kano State).”

    “Taking prompt action on the allegations of bribery against the governor would also be entirely consistent with the provisions of section 15 subsection (5) of the Constitution, which requires your government to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power, regardless of the state where such practices take place. Section 15 specifically defines “government” to include the government of the federation, or of any state, or of a local government council or any person who exercises power or authority on its behalf.

    “Section 61(2) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act also provides that public officers accused of bribery may be prosecuted by the appropriate authority for such an offence.”

    “SERAP is concerned that growing allegations of corruption including bribery against many state governors have not been investigated and that several of the governors involved are getting away with their alleged crimes.”

    “We note that while a governor may enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution, he does not enjoy immunity from investigation. Any criminal allegation against a sitting governor including Mr Ganduje can and should be investigated pending the time the governor leaves office and loses immunity. The findings of such investigation can also be the basis for initiating impeachment proceedings against the governor.”

     

  • Bribery video: Ganduje denies collecting bribery from any contractor

    Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Friday, has denied collecting bribe from any contractor.

    Testifying before the house, Ganduje said the allegation labeled against him are injurious.

    Ganduje said the video clips released by the publisher of Daily Nigerian was aimed at tarnishing his image politically.

    Speaking on behalf of the Governor, the Commissioner of Information, Mr Muhammad Garba, said he was at the assembly Complex to represent the governor due to the options provided by the committee in its letter.

    The Governor, in document presented before the committee had denied collecting the bribe from the contractor as alleged by the publisher of the online Newspaper.

    According to the document, the Governor stated that such had never happened with him and will never happened even in the future time.

    The Governor in the letter called on the public to discard such allegations as it did not happened, and also called on such publishers to avoid such publications that can tarnish the image of leaders.

    “Such untruth publications was done to the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammad Sanusi the II and also to the former Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau”, Ganduje said in the document.

    Also commenting on the issue, the Commissioner of Justice Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar and also the State’s Attorney General commended the way and manner the committee is handling the issue by given fair hearing to the both parties.

    According to him, the Governor has options as stated in the letter presented to him on the invitation, as the committee given an option for him to send a representative or send a written document as provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Baffa Danagundi commended the the represantative of the Governor for honouring the committee’s request.

    Danagundi said the committee will throughly watch the video on Tuesday in the presence of the representatives of both parties but not publicly.

    Recall that the state House of Assembly, under the leadership of Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, constituted a committee on October 15 to establish the authenticity of the videos.

    An online newspaper, DAILY NIGERIAN had on October 14 and 15 exclusively published two videos of showing Mr Ganduje allegedly receiving bribe in dollars.

    Consequently, the publisher/editor-in-chief of DAILY NIGERIAN, Jaafar Jaafar testified before the committee on October 15 where he insisted that the videos were genuine, and expressed readiness to swore by the Quran to convinced doubting Thomases.

    The three paragraphs letter sent to the governor titled “invitation to respond to an allegation of bribery against H.E Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, requested the governor to appear on Friday.

  • Kano Assembly summons Gov Ganduje over viral bribe video

    The investigative committee set up by the Kano State House of Assembly to investigate video clips showing Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje receiving bribe, has summoned the governor to appear before it on Friday.

    Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, published the video clips.

    Mujtafah Adamu, the secretary of the seven-man ad-hoc Committee, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kano.

    He said the committee had invited the governor via a letter of Oct. 31.

    “The letter which was signed by the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Baffa Danagundi and issued to the governor, is requesting his appearance and to hear the matter from his own perspective,’’ he said.

    A copy of the letter, according to Mr Adamu, is asking the governor for his statement as part of the proceedings on or before the day of the hearing.

    The letter reads in part; “You may wish to appear together with your lawyers for the hearing, and enclosed is the copy of the video clips for your perusal”.

    The publisher of Daily Nigerian, Jaafar Jaafar, who on Oct. 25, appeared before the committee, had insisted that the published video clips were genuine and not a doctored document.

  • Gandujegate: 'Video showing Kano Gov. receiving bribe is original' Publisher, Jaafar tells investigative panel

    The Publisher of the online Daily Nigerian newspaper, Jaafar Jaafar, has appeared before lawmakers at the Kano State House of Assembly investigating the bribery allegation against Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
    Recall that the media space was recently awash with published stories from the videos, sourced from Daily Nigerian, which showed the Kano governor receiving bribe in dollars at different instances. The total bribe is said to be about $5 million from persons believed to be contractors to the state.
    Although the state government has claimed the video was ‘cloned’ our experts confirmed the authenticity.
    Mr Jafaar also stood by the content of the videos when he appeared before the lawmakers at a public hearing on Thursday.
    During his cross-examination, he refused to disclose the source that provided him with the video-recording of Mr Ganduje while collecting the bribe.
    Earlier, Amnesty International had requested that the Nigerian government ensures the security of Mr Jafaar.
    Below is the statement Mr Jafaar made before he was cross-examined by the lawmakers. He also presented material evidence, a hard disk, and other stuff.

    STATEMENT BY PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF DAILY NIGERIAN AT THE INVESTIGATIVE HEARING OF KANO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON GOV. ABDULLAHI GANDUJE’S BRIBE-TAKING VIDEOS PUBLISHED BY THE ONLINE NEWSPAPER
    I, Jaafar Jaafar, am a member of the Board of Directors of Penlight Media Limited, the publishers of DAILY NIGERIAN do hereby submit this statement in answer to the invitation extended to me by the Investigation Panel of the Kano State House of Assembly.
    Introduction
    1. The DAILY NIGERIAN made a series of publications pertaining to the receipt of several videos of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje collecting of bribe/kickbacks from some contractors in Kano State.
    2. Consequent upon the publications, we received an invitation dated October 18, 2018 with reference number KNHA/ADM/VOL .I/04 from the Kano State House of Assembly requesting us to appear before it in the conduct of its constitutional functions as contained in Section 129 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    3. The invitation letter also requested that we submit a written statement containing the incidents pertaining to the investigation.
    4. Below is the narration of our understanding of the events as it relates to the videos.
    The videos
    5. More than two years ago, a contractor friend of mine complained to me that the governor had been receiving kickbacks, ranging from 15 to 25 percent, for every project executed in the state from contractors.
    6. We then agreed to plant spy cameras on his kaftan lapel so that he can capture the brazen act in hard evidence. He captured at least 15 clips, nine of which fully showed the governor’s face, body and hands collecting bundles of dollars.
    7. Before DAILY NIGERIAN publishes stories, pictures or videos on its website (www.dailynigerian.com), the editors subject them to rigors of verification to establish their authenticity or otherwise.
    8. In the case the video clips in question, our in-house technical expert, the editor-in-chief and editorial adviser certified that the videos were original and not doctored contents.
    9. Experts from Amnesty International Nigeria, BBC and PREMIUM TIMES also watched the clips and certified their authenticity before we went to press.
    10. The first video was published on October 14, 2018 comprising two clips that occurred on two different dates as shown on the videos themselves. The video showed the governor receiving bribe from a contractor in foreign currency specifically the monies were United States Dollar denominated. The video also showed his Excellency tucking these monies under his flowing gown and putting them inside an envelope.
    11. We are willing to share the content of the video without any form of editing to assist the committee in its investigation and to share the full clips of the others that were published to the Committee in the cause of the performance of their legislative function
    12. We thank the Committee for deeming it appropriate to invite us to make representations before it in respect of this matter
    13. Thank you.
    Jaafar Jaafar
    Editor-in-Chief
    Daily Nigerian

  • Ganduje: Kano Assembly to hold public hearing on bribe videos, seeks police protection

    The committee set up by the Kano State House of Assembly to investigate video clips showing Governor Abdullahi Ganduje allegedly receiving bribe has opted for a public hearing.
    The committee chairman, Baffa Dan’Agundi, representing Kano Municipal, made the disclosure on Thursday.
    He spoke during the committee’s visit to the state Police Commissioner, Rabi’u Yusuf.
    The visit was to seek security for lawmakers and witnesses during the sittings.
    Danagundi said: “We have decided to make our investigation open so that the general public will be convinced about the findings of the committee.
    “We don’t want a situation where by a member of the committee or witness will be humiliated or intimidated.”
    Raising a matter of urgent public importance on Monday, a member representing Warawa Constituency, Labaran Madari, urged the Assembly to investigate the authenticity of the videos and take measures.
    Madari said the videos had brought the institution of governance in the state to disrepute, and therefore, the need for the legislators to take urgent action.
    Members of the committee constituted by the speaker, Alhassan Rurum, are: Labaran Madari (Warawa) member; Garba Gafasa (Ajingi), member; and Zubairu Masu, (Sumaila) member.
    Others are Ayuba Labaran (Kabo) member; Abubakar Galadima (Bebeji), member; Garba Yau Gwarmai (Kunchi/Tsanyawa), member and; Mujtafa Amin, secretary.

  • Kwankwaso distances self from Ganduje bribe-scandal video

    Former governor of Kano State Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has distanced himself from the videos indicting the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje of allegedly collecting 5million dollars as bribe.
    Following the emergence of the videos, the Commissioner for Information, Mallam Muhammad Garba, had claimed that Jafar Jafar, Publisher of Daily Nigerian, was working with Kwankwanso.
    However, the senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District, insisted that there was nothing between the publisher and him.
    Kwankwaso’s stance was contained in a statement by his spokesperson, Hajiya Binta Spikin.
    The statement reads, “Everyone knows that Jafar Jafar is an independent journalist and his medium, Daily Nigerian, is also an independent news platform.
    “There is no deal whatsoever between Jafar and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso. So if they are suspecting anything, it is left for them to prove it,” reads part of the statement.

  • Kano assembly to investigate Gov Ganduje’s alleged bribery video

    The Kano State House of Assembly has set up a committee to investigate the authenticity of the video recording of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje allegedly taking a bribe.
    The video of Ganduje allegedly receiving a bribe from a contractor was published by Daily Nigerian.
    The committee was set up following a motion of urgent public importance filed by the member representing Warawa constituency, Labaran Madari, and seconded by the member representing Kano Municipal constituency, Baffa Danagundi.
    Madari pointed out that the House has the mandate to investigate any matter in order to ensure peace and harmony in the state.
    Speaking during the plenary, the Majority Leader, Baffa Babba Danagundi advised the executive arm of government to halt filing in a case before a court of law on the alleged video clip.
    According to him, the state Assembly has the constitutional mandate to investigate issues like this.
    The matter which gained the support of the legislatures was deliberated on the floor of the house, presided over by Speaker Kabiru Rurum.