*‘Stop Covering Your Failures With Propaganda, Only FG Can Prosecute Me’

THE administration of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s has filed at least eight criminal charges against his predecessor and current National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, over alleged stealing N5.6billion from the state treasury and taking bribes from public works contractors, totaling almost $500,000. 

Now without immunity from prosecution, following the expiration of his tenure as governor on May 29, last year, Ganduje is bound to answer to the corruption charges, with at least 15 witnesses lined up to testify against him at the Kano High Court.

Recall that in 2018, a video showing Ganduje stashing wads of United States (US) dollars into his long, flowing, traditional embroidered robe (babariga), commonly worn by men in the northern region, went viral.

The video, posted by Daily Nigerian in 2018, but with a 2017 timestamp, sparked reactions across the country, seeming to prove allegations that most state governors often took commissions from contracts awarded to companies executing government projects. 

At the time, Ganduje denied being in the video, claiming it was “cloned,” even as his government went after the originators of the footage.

Covered by constitutional immunity, he could not be investigated or prosecuted, even as the federal government, controlled by his party, and its anti-corruption agencies, including the Police, have been reluctant to probe or bring charges against him.

But his successor, Yusuf, of the rival New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), is determined to bring him to account, as the state government explores legal options to prosecute the former governor and all listed as his conspirators, including his wife, Hafsat, and son, Umar. 

The three companies that allegedly benefited from the stolen funds and linked to his family members were also listed as sixth to eighth defendants in the suit, dated April 3.

The state government, represented by a team of four lawyers, led by Y.A. Adamu, was listed as the only complainant in the suit.

According to the government, Ganduje received $200,000 in January 2016 and another $213,000 in February 2017 in kickbacks from contractors selected for “the remodeling of Kantin Kwari textile market.”

The government further alleged that between September 2020 and March 2021, Ganduje diverted N1.4billion meant to purchase face masks “and other hospital equipment for the health sector” for his personal use in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, sometime around March 2021, he is alleged to have forcefully acquired 501 “high density plots” from “peasant farmers,” which he sold for N700million and deposited the proceeds into the account of BDC operator, Vision Steel Link Limited. 

According to court documents, the APC national chairman arranged for the dollar equivalent of the N700million to be paid into his son’s account, while he deliberately sold the Kano Cotton Ginnery, valued at N750million, at a discounted rate of N320million through a proxy managed by his immediate family, thereby shortchanging the state government and the people. 

The documents said proceeds were not remitted to the state account.

Witnesses lined up to testify for the prosecution include bank employees privy to the transactions, a forensic expert who analysed the bribery footage, and contractors who said they gave Ganduje percentages of Kano contract awards.

   The case comes at time Ganduje seems to be settling into his new office.

   But Ganduje, in his reaction, berated Yusuf for using diversionary tactics to cover up for his failure to deliver to the people of the state.

The governor, in a statement by his media aide, Edwin Olofu, on Friday, April 5, in Abuja, said the latest antics of the governor was unfortunate and a sorry attempt at shifting public glare from the fact that there is really nothing on the ground in the state to justify the sharp increase in statutory allocations to the state since May 29, last year.

    He stated the latest attempt by the state to drag his name in the mud would fail, saying it spoke volumes of the level of crass ignorance and disregard for the rule of law by the current administration.

“In their desperate attempt to malign me and my family, they either forgot or probably cannot conduct themselves by the dictates of the law. They failed to take judicial notice of the recent pronouncement of the Federal High Court in Kano, which ruled that the so-called offence I am being accused of is a federal offence that can only be prosecuted by the attorney general of the federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Rather than join issues with my traducers in Kano over the trumped-up charges levelled against me, I would implore them to redirect their energies towards easing the plights of our people in Kano.

“They still have the opportunity to revert to my blueprint for the sustainable growth and development of Kano State. It is not yet late in the day for them to emulate my developmental strides. They can still salvage the situation, as my tenure was devoid of any wrongdoings,” added.

Ganduje, while welcoming the decision to set up two committees to probe him over alleged misappropriation of public property, political violence and missing persons in the state, however, said it would have been in the best interest of the state to extend the dateline of the probe from 1999 to date.